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The Democratic Alliance (DA) expresses its deep concern over the South African Police Service (SAPS) and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) allowing social media, public, and political pressure to unduly influence the investigation into the alleged rape of Cwecwe at her school in Matatiele.

The NPA’s recent decision not to prosecute anyone in this case underscores the troubling reality: the investigation appears to have been initiated and pursued primarily due to public outcry, rather than on the basis of credible evidence.

The DA finds it unacceptable that SAPS and the NPA allowed public pressure and outrage to influence the investigation. While two innocent men were publicly lynched in the media and their reputations irreparably damaged, the system enjoined to deal with criminal justice was too intimidated by the public outcry to timeously put an end to an investigation that was clearly not supported by fact.

It is inexcusable that the investigation was conducted without the requisite fear, favour or prejudice. We reiterate that the Police and NPA must find ways to insulate their functions from the influence of understandable but sometimes misguided public outrage.

We encourage citizens to assist police in combatting crime by allowing thorough investigations to take their course before coming to uninformed conclusions on who should be held accountable, as this misleads rather than assists the NPA and SAPS in doing their job.

The DA is steadfast in its belief that a capable, well-resourced SAPS and NPA with the public as an ally is critical in winning the war against crime.

Issued by Adv. Glynnis Breytenbach MP - DA Spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development