Sentencing, verdicts and murder trials will have to wait until lockdown is over, says Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola.
For the families of victims like Gafsa Roberts, 61, who was allegedly murdered by her own son, Shakoor Roberts, 27, Wednesday's announcement means justice will be delayed yet again.
The family has waited for five years for the trial to finally reach its end stage.
And yesterday, hit-and-run killer Moegamat Rafiek Hayners was set to be sentenced at the Wynberg Regional Court after his sentencing had been postponed in February.
And, the sensational Lion Cub case involving Najwa Dirk’s son Sulaiman Effendi has also been postponed.
STILL ON TRIAL: Shakoor Roberts, 27
On Wednesday, Lamola ordered that only persons who had first appearances and bail applications cases would be attended to while those in custody would be informed via Audio Visual Remand (AVR) on the progress of their matters.
Lamola said accused persons who were not in custody would receive notification of their new dates and did not need to be at court, while their names would not be placed on the roll.
Accused persons facing petty crimes and who were in custody would be released immediately and would be informed of their court dates.
He added death notices and protection orders would be attended to.
In February, Magistrate Khaleed Parker transferred Hayners’ matter to the Regional Court for a higher sentence.
Hayners had been driving 100km/h in a 60km/h zone on 27 September 2018 when he jumped a red robot at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Strandfontein Road, and rammed into Shaylynn Arendse, six, and Maureen Abrahams, 61, who had been standing on the pavement waiting to cross the busy road.
Hayners handed himself over to cops days later and last year he pleaded guilty to two counts of culpable homicide.
While out on bail, Hayners was bust in November 2018 at a depot in Somerset West with drugs worth R8.9 million, for which he is also currently on trial.
ON HOLD: Rafiek Hayners' sentencing
Brenda Tommy, the grandmother of Shaylynn, says they have made peace that justice will come in God’s time: “I believe there’s a reason why the matter has taken so long and time will reveal that.
“God is working on this.
“I’ve made peace with the long overdue sentence and will continue to attend as and when the authorities decide it’s safe for us to resume proceedings.”
Roberts’ murder trial was also expected to continue at the Mitchells Plain Regional Court this week.
The case has been running for five long years and the court was hearing final witness statements.
Two weeks ago, the magistrate rejected evidence of an audio cellphone recording in which Roberts allegedly confessed to Gafsa’s killing.
The magistrate ruled that the recording was not clear and contained too many voices.
The matter was postponed to April 3.
Roberts is currently incarcerated at Pollsmoor Prison.
PAUSE: Ronald Lamola postponed cases till lockdown ends
Gafsa’s daughter, Rushana Adams, is anxiously waiting for a conviction: “Will we have to really wait until the end of lockdown?
“When will we as family have closure?
“Our lives are standing still, she was our mother.
“He needs to be put away because he confessed on that recording."
She adds that you can hear him saying, "I killed her on the Friday."
Sulaiman Effendi, Rayaan Simons and Shurud Jacobs were also expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court yesterday to face 14 charges.