Statement by the Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety

Statement by the Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen

KILLER OF FORMER POCS OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS BEHIND BARS

I welcome the Western Cape High Court’s sentencing on 7 June 2023 of 30 years direct imprisonment for Lwazi Sibindana. Mr Sibindana has been found guilty of the gruesome death of Jacqueline Mpontsana in 2021. Ms Mpontsana, or Jacqui, as she was fondly known, was set alight in a domestic violence dispute on Sunday, 19 September 2021. She was initially rushed to a hospital but succumbed to her severe burn wounds and sadly passed away.

Jacqui, was an employee in the Western Cape Department of Community Safety, now known as the Western Cape Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety (POCS) since 2005, until her untimely passing. Part of her responsibilities were to monitor the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) compliance with the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) implementation at police stations across the province. Furthermore, she rendered Secretariat services for the IPID consultative forum. She was a professional and committed official.

The wheels of justice turned slowly, and it took the court almost two years to get to this point. Our hope and prayer as an entire department is that this sentencing will assist the family in finding some measure of solace. Jacqui’s life and passing is not in vain. She leaves behind a legacy of excellence and commitment which we as a department wish to emulate. Her passing also reminds us of the important work this department must do to vigorously continue the fight against domestic violence, against the abuse of women and children and against all crime in general. 

The 4th quarter crime statistics, January to March 2023 of the 2022/23 financial year shows that 75,5% of victims in domestic related incidents are women. This is an 8,8% decrease when compared to the same period of the 2021/22 financial year, which was 84,3%. In addition to this, there was a 26,5% decrease in the number of women murdered in the Western Cape when compared to the same period of the previous financial year. This is 36 fewer murders, down from 136 during the 2021/22 financial year, to 100 cases, and also 9 fewer, down from 109 to 100, when compared to the same period of the 2020/21 financial year. However, these numbers are still unacceptably high.

As the Western Cape Government, we remain committed to combatting this scourge against our women. May Jacqueline Mpontsana rest slightly easier now that her murderer has rightly been placed behind bars.