As the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign approaches, the Northern Cape SAPS management has welcomed the recent 15-year sentence handed to a 31-year-old man for the brutal murder of a 23-year-old Kimberley resident.
AS THE annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign draws near, the management of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Northern Cape has expressed support for a recent court ruling.
On October 29, the Kimberley Regional Court sentenced 31-year-old Isak Speelman to 15 years in prison for the brutal murder of Yvonne Schalwyk, a 23-year-old resident of Marula Informal Settlement.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock recounted the events of August 3, 2022, when Schalwyk and Speelman became involved in an altercation that escalated violently. The accused assaulted Schalwyk with an unknown blunt object, leaving her with critical facial injuries. Family members discovered her unconscious in her shack and rushed her to a hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Following a thorough investigation led by Detective Sergeant MC Moshotloa of the Kimberley SAPS Detectives, Speelman was arrested, prosecuted, and ultimately sentenced. The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
The provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, praised Detective Sergeant Moshotloa for his diligence and dedication in bringing justice to Schalwyk’s family. She noted that the sentence underscores the SAPS’s commitment to pursuing justice for victims of gender-based violence.
The SAPS has also reaffirmed its resolve, alongside prosecutorial partners, to continue working relentlessly against gender-based violence and to support the nationwide 16 Days of Activism initiative, which aims to raise awareness and foster prevention efforts against this pervasive issue.
The SAPS Northern Cape management views the sentence as a significant outcome and a step toward addressing the epidemic of gender-based violence in South Africa.
