As three-year-old Warona fights for her life in hospital months after she was brutally raped and left for dead on a shack's rooftop in Diepsloot, frustration in her community is boiling over.
Residents say they still do not understand why key evidence is outstanding, why the case has faced repeated delays since September, and why it falls on them to demand answers during a time when the country is observing 16 Days of Activism for no violence against Women and Children.
Their anger intensified this week when multiple community organisations and residents marched to the SAPS Gauteng Provincial Head Office in Johannesburg, calling for urgent action in the case.
The 28-year-old suspect is accused of raping and stabbing the child, and slitting her throat. Following the brutal assault, he allegedly abandoned the child on the roof of his shack before going on a drinking spree. When apprehended by a security company, witnesses reportedly heard the suspect confess, express shock that the child had survived, and attribute his actions to "the devil", who made him do it.
The child has undergone multiple surgeries and remains in the hospital. Meanwhile, the legal investigation has been plagued by significant delays.
According to the family, the suspect's first court appearance in October was hindered because the case docket contained virtually no information, including the victim's age. The judge was forced to postpone the case. The family further reported that the docket remained completely empty when the suspect made his second appearance in November.
At the Randburg Magistrate's Court’s most recent sitting, the State confirmed that several pieces of evidence were still outstanding.
These include eyewitness statements, the victim’s statement, hospital records, social worker reports and a formal child assessment. Despite visiting the hospital days earlier, the lead detective had not secured key documentation needed for the prosecution.
During the march, community members handed over a memorandum demanding justice for the child and accountability from SAPS.
The document called for the immediate reassignment of the case to a competent detective, written proof of the reassignment, transparency with the family, and a detailed progress report outlining timelines for collecting all outstanding evidence.
“Provide a written update on the status of all outstanding evidence. Provide clear timelines for the collection of statements, medical records and assessments,” the memorandum stated.
The child’s mother said the march has given her renewed hope after weeks of uncertainty.
“I am thankful for the support and help,” she said.
“I am getting better with the child’s situation and the case. The way the case was going was not going well, but I am grateful for the support that I got from the march. We will be going back to court, and hopefully the papers and missing documents will be there. The case was stagnant, but after the march hopefully things will go well. We will see everything on December 11.”
Hope In Every Community (HIEC), which has been supporting the victim’s family, said the delays reflect a wider pattern of neglect in cases involving children.
“We are outraged at the clear injustice and lack of care being shown, not only in this case but in many others,” said Katlego Segole, HIEC District Leader.
“We are making it our mission to ensure that Warona gets the justice she deserves. Something has to change in how cases are handled and how detectives’ performance is evaluated.”
Community activist Rohangwelwa Phiriga from Tembisa said residents often feel abandoned by the justice system.
“There are many cases where dockets go missing and nothing happens. Now our children can’t even play safely. People report GBV cases and get told to fix things at home,” she said.
Elderly resident Sophie Muadzi, 71, said crime in informal settlements leaves communities feeling unsafe.
“Lion Park is a mess. People commit violent crimes and run there. When we call police, they arrest someone but we later hear they’re free again. We live in fear. We’re pleading with government to intervene so we can live like humans,” she said.
Asked to explain why key evidence remains outstanding, whether the accused is indeed in custody and what steps are being taken to prevent further delays, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and police confirmed only the next court date and the suspect’s custody.
“The accused is in custody and will return to court on 11 December as investigations continue. The State has placed measures in place to fast-track the ongoing investigation process,” the NPA said.
SAPS spokesperson Mavela Masondo also confirmed the next court date and that charges of attempted murder and contravention of the Immigration Act have been added.
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
Saturday Star