A Gqeberba Magistrate has urged investigators in the Andy Kawa rape case to prioritise the matter, as the case has not reached any finalisation since 2010.
During the court appearance of the man alleged to have raped Kawa, Magistrate Dumisani Apollos also said all outstanding documentation required for the bail application needs to be verified speedily.
"Thread carefully," he cautioned.
The accused, who cannot be named until he has pleaded, was arrested last week, more than 13 years after the offence had taken place.
Police said DNA evidence linked the accused to the case.
Earlier today, the State informed the court that SAP 69 documents and the accused profiles were still outstanding.
The address the man had given police will also need to be verified by the investigating officer before a formal bail application can be held.
The police had earlier informed the media that the accused is a bush dweller who lives in the Summerstrand area.
The State will oppose his release on bail.
The now 60-year-old Kawa was abducted while walking along Kings Beach in Summerstrand on 9 December 2010.
She was held hostage, and raped for 15 hours before she managed to escape from her abductors the next day.
In the past, police arrested a man who was found with Kawa's belongings, however, he could not be linked to the rape, abduction, and assault.
In 2012, Kawa pointed out her alleged assailants during a protest march along the same beachfront, but the charges against the two men were withdrawn when DNA evidence failed to link them to the brutal attack.
She is set to testify in the Gqeberha High Court on 19 February, where she is suing the South African Police Service (SAPS) for damages just short of R6 million.
In April 2022, the Apex Court granted her leave to appeal against a decision by the Supreme Court of Appeals to dismiss the judgment by the Gqeberha High Court, which had ruled in her favour.
Kawa took the minister to court for damages in 2013, claiming an alleged failure on their part to conduct a proper investigation and to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book.
The case was remanded to 12 February.
