Hope for victims as South Africa's 'house of horrors' trial approaches

After nearly eight years, the wheels of justice have finally begun to turn as the oldest sex abuse case in the country is set to go to trial next month in the Wynberg Regional Court.

As the trial date approaches, the sister victims of the “house of horrors” sex abuse case express their hope and relief that there will be “no more hiding” for their perpetrators. This long-awaited moment signifies a crucial step towards accountability for the abuse they endured.

Lisa van der Merwe and her sister Claudine Shiels had taken their relatives to court retrospectively in 2018 for sexual acts which had allegedly taken place between 1974 to 1979.

The abuse began at their home in Zeekoevlei, which the sisters referred to as a house of horrors, and it had torn apart an already dysfunctional family.

The trial, where the perpetrators are expected to plead, is set to start on September 25. 

The men may not be named yet until they plead.

Shiels said: “This matter has dragged out for seven-and-a-half years because of the perpetrators' battle to get lesser charges imposed, and they objected to a certain section of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act of 2007. They lost their fight in the High Court, then they lost in the Supreme Court of Appeal, and then the Constitutional Court threw out their appeal. 

“The spotlight on historic cases and some recent convictions that we know of is very encouraging. There is definitely a will to go after abusers and to no longer allow time to hide them. However, I do believe that the legal system has much improvement to make in how it deals with victims. Delays, poor communications, lost documents, and lack of feedback often lead to absolute despair by victims who can feel badly re-victimised.” 

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