Seven years on and domestic worker ‘raped’ by employer still awaits justice

For seven years a domestic worker from Piet Retief in Mpumalanga has been waiting for justice. She accused her employee of rape in 2014, but the case has still not been finalised.

Last month, as throngs of protesters descended on the Piet Retief magistrate’s court to protest against the release of four farmers accused of shooting dead two brothers (https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-04-12-men-shot-dead-on-mkhondo-farm-were-looking-for-jobs-say-cops/) at their farm, Thandeka Mlambo* was in court for her matter, hoping the case would finally move forward.

But it was postponed again because the 38-year-old’s alleged rapist told the court, through his lawyer, that he was afraid to attend proceedings because of the protesters outside...