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Rape survivor, activist, and author Andy Kawa has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to ensure that the South African Police Services (SAPS) and the Judiciary bring perpetrators of Gender Based Violence to book.
Kawa, who was abducted and raped at Kings Beach in Gqeberha 13 years ago, made the call during a speaking engagement in commemoration of Women's Month on Thursday.
She addressed guests at the PE Club via live streaming, as she was unable to attend in person due to medical reasons.
Kawa successfully sued the police for failing to properly investigate her attack, but the police won the case on appeal.
In 2020, however, the Constitutional Court set aside the decision of the Supreme Court of Appeals and ordered that Kawa be compensated with 40% of her proven or agreed damages.
Her initial claim for damages was R5.8 million, but it now stands at R219m.
Kawa likened the atrocities that had been committed against her to a tsunami that has ripped through and ruined her life.
She said it had ruined her livelihood and 13 years later, closure was still not in sight.
"The trauma lingers forever. Some victims do not get justice, they don't even see the inside of a courtroom.
"We do not have a functioning police system, it has failed," she said.
The event was a joint event by Browns PR, BLC Attorneys, and the Nelson Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA).
MBDA chairperson Glenda Perumal said after Kawa's harrowing ordeal, the Kings Beach precinct was transformed into a family-friendly space that everyone can enjoy.
She said the MBDA and the ward councillor were discussing the possibility of the MBDA managing the precinct again.
