South Africa: Justice Committee Chairperson Condemns Killing of Eastern Cape Prosecutor
'This is indeed a tragedy where the protectors of our criminal justice system are not safe anymore. This is unacceptable and no stone should be left unturned to bring the culprits to book,' he said.
According to reports, Ms Brown was ambushed and shot multiple times by four armed assailants while sitting in her car, in full view of her partner and child. 'The brutal nature of this assassination-style killing is deeply disturbing and represents a direct attack on the justice system and those who serve it with dedication and courage,' emphasised the Chairperson.
This incident follows the tragic murder of Ms Elona Sombulula, a court official at the Engcobo Magistrates Court, in April this year. The committee is gravely concerned by what appears to be a pattern of targeted violence against officials within the justice sector.
Mr Nqola stated: 'The murder of Ms Brown is not only a devastating loss to her family and colleagues, but an attack on the rule of law in South Africa. Prosecutors serve at the forefront of our fight against crime and corruption. When they are targeted, it threatens the foundations of our constitutional democracy.
'The committee sends its heartfelt condolences to Ms Brown's loved ones and colleagues during this painful time. The committee also calls on law enforcement agencies to prioritise the investigation and ensure that those responsible are swiftly apprehended and face the full might of the law.'
He said the portfolio committee will engage with the Department of Justice and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on urgent measures to enhance the safety and security of prosecutors and court officials across the country.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Family of Saudi student killed in Cambridge prepare to take body home
The family of a Saudi student stabbed to death in Cambridge have arrived in the UK to take his body home, his uncle has revealed. Mohammed Yousef Alqassem, 20, was killed in what police have described as an 'unprovoked attack' while he was on a 10-week placement at an English language school. A 21-year-old man, Chas Corrigan, has been charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place, and is due to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday. Majed Abalkhail, Mr Alqassem's uncle, told The National family members have travelled to the city to take his body back to their homeland. 'Mohammed's father is currently in Cambridge, accompanied by some of his brothers, to follow up on the procedures for bringing Mohammed home, in co-ordination with the Saudi embassy,' he said. Mr Abalkhail reiterated his view on crime in Britain, saying he had a sense of 'deep frustration and growing anger' that the country was losing its reputation for being safe. 'People from various countries, including many in the Arab world, are seriously rethinking any plans to visit or study in the UK,' he said. 'This is the hard truth being spoken in private conversations and social circles – and it's time it was said out loud. Britain is rapidly losing its global reputation, not just as a centre of education, but even as a travel destination. 'Sadly, Britain is becoming a symbol of lawlessness, insecurity, and government failure, and this perception is spreading fast among people of all backgrounds.' He cited the example of the fatal stabbing of Mohammed Afzal, 19, in Manchester as an example of Britain being a 'dangerous environment plagued by theft, stabbings and violent crime'. A man has been charged in relation to the death of Mr Afzal, who was killed in a car park on Friday. Two men remain in custody while two other men, who were also arrested, have been released on bail. Mr Abalkhail earlier paid tribute to his nephew as a 'calm, kind-hearted young man' who dreamt of pursuing a career as a doctor. Cambridgeshire Police said that its officers were called to Mill Park in Cambridge at 11.27pm on Friday following reports of violence. Mr Alqassem was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.01am on Saturday despite the efforts of paramedics. EF International Language Campuses Cambridge, a private school offering English language courses to overseas students, said it was 'deeply saddened' to confirm one of its adult students had died. In recent months there have been reports about crime in Britain, in particular London, and criticism of the police's ability to deal with it. Official statistics show a mixed picture, with some violent crime falling while theft and some knife crime has increased. In the year to March 2025, the police recorded 6.6 million crimes – similar to the previous year's figure of 6.7 million, but up from 4.2 million in the year ending in March 2015. Attacks involving the use of knives have gone up from just under 14,000 a decade ago to around 22,000 this year. Knife-enabled murders fell by 23 per cent to 204 offences, compared with 265 the year before. In 2024, London recorded nearly 17,000 knife crime offences − an 86.6 per cent increase over 10 years. In the same year there were over 35,000 robberies – an increase of 18.2 per cent over just three years. In the year to March there were 535 murders – more or less the same as 10 years ago and down from 868 in 2005. The UK has also experienced a wave of " Rolex ripper" luxury watch thefts and mobile phone snatches, which the police appear to have struggled to deal with. Analysis by the insurance company SquareTrade Europe of mobile theft and loss of data from 12 European markets found that the UK now represents 40 per of all European claims.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Family of murdered Saudi student prepare to take body home
The family of a Saudi student stabbed to death in Cambridge have arrived in the UK to take his body home, his uncle has revealed. Mohammed Yousef Alqassem, 20, was killed in what police have described as an 'unprovoked attack' while he was on a 10-week placement at an English language school. A 21-year-old man, Chas Corrigan, has been charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place, and is due to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday. Majed Abalkhail, Mr Alqassem's uncle, told The National family members have travelled to the city to take his body back to their homeland. 'Mohammed's father is currently in Cambridge, accompanied by some of his brothers, to follow up on the procedures for bringing Mohammed home, in co-ordination with the Saudi embassy,' he said. Mr Abalkhail reiterated his view on crime in Britain, saying he had a sense of 'deep frustration and growing anger' that the country was losing its reputation for being safe. 'People from various countries, including many in the Arab world, are seriously rethinking any plans to visit or study in the UK,' he said. 'This is the hard truth being spoken in private conversations and social circles – and it's time it was said out loud. Britain is rapidly losing its global reputation, not just as a centre of education, but even as a travel destination. 'Sadly, Britain is becoming a symbol of lawlessness, insecurity, and government failure, and this perception is spreading fast among people of all backgrounds.' He cited the example of the fatal stabbing of Mohammed Afzal, 19, in Manchester as an example of Britain being a 'dangerous environment plagued by theft, stabbings and violent crime'. A man has been charged in relation to the death of Mr Afzal, who was killed in a car park on Friday. Two men remain in custody while two other men, who were also arrested, have been released on bail. Mr Abalkhail said the UK was facing competition from other nations for tourists and students. 'What makes matters worse is that there are plenty of alternatives – countries offering high-quality education, world-class tourism, and most importantly, public safety." He earlier paid tribute to his nephew as 'calm, kind-hearted young man' who dreamt of pursuing a career as a doctor. Cambridgeshire Police said that its officers were called to Mill Park in Cambridge at 11.27pm on Friday following reports of violence. Mr Alqassem was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.01am on Saturday despite the efforts of paramedics. EF International Language Campuses Cambridge, a private school offering English language courses to overseas students, said it was 'deeply saddened' to confirm one of its adult students had died. In recent months there have been reports about crime in Britain and criticism of the police's inability to deal with apparent lawlessness, particularly in London. Official statistics and other data gathered shows a mixed picture, with some violent crime falling while theft and some knife crime has increased. In the year to March 2025, the police recorded 6.6 million crimes – similar to the previous year's figure of 6.7 million, but up from 4.2 million in the year ending in March 2015. Attacks involving the use of knives have gone up from just under 14,000 a decade ago to around 22,000 this year. Knife-enabled murders fell by 23 per cent to 204 offences, compared with 265 the year before. In 2024, London recorded nearly 17,000 knife crime offences − an 86.6 per cent increase over 10 years. In the same year there were over 35,000 robberies – an increase of 18.2 per cent over just three years. In the year to March there were 535 murders – more or less the same as 10 years ago and down from 868 in 2005. The UK has also experienced a wave of " Rolex ripper" luxury watch thefts and mobile phone snatches, which the police appear to have struggled to deal with. Analysis by the insurance company SquareTrade Europe of mobile theft and loss of data from 12 European markets found that the UK now represents 40 per of all European claims.
The National
14 hours ago
- The National
Gaza starvation and Saudi student killed in UK
Five more people have died from hunger in Gaza. Hamas says it is open to negotiating a ceasefire deal that would end the war. A man has been charged with the murder of a student from Saudi Arabia in the UK. On this episode of Trending Middle East: This episode features Hamza Hendawi, Cairo Correspondent; and Tariq Taher, Senior Investigations Correspondent.
