CAPE TOWN: Court proceedings have been delayed yet again and the community of Atlantis continue to have hope that justice will be served for slain Charné Viljoen.
Viljoen, 21, was stabbed to death on Monday, May 3, outside a shopping complex in Saxon Sea, in Atlantis, allegedly by her ex-boyfriend Owen Steenberg.
Steenberg is also alleged to have stabbed one of Viljoen’s male friends on Friday, April 30, prior to her death. Viljoen and Steenberg have a three-year-old son.
In May, Steenberg abandoned his bail application, however, according to the Western Cape provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Eric Ntabazalila, the matter has been postponed until November 25, for a bail application.
Community members appeared at every court appearance, calling for justice and an end to gender-based violence.
The delay in the case comes as the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court system was “offline”.
Speaking to IOL on Tuesday, Janine Passenz, from the Survivors Haven Foundation, a local organisation that advocates against gender-based violence and focuses on youth development, said they have submitted a petition to the court – with more than 20 000 signatures – opposing bail.
“We submitted a petition, with almost 23 000 signatures, to oppose bail. With the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children coming up, we hope that the court will grant our request to not grant him bail,” she said.
Passenz said gender-based violence cases are increasing, and a message needs to be sent out to perpetrators and potential perpetrators.
“There is also help available for perpetrators – they must just be willing to change,” she said.
IOL