Discussion | Assassinations and cold cases in South Africa

CAPE TOWN - Hitmen and cold cases. This trend seems to be the norm these days, with assassinations happening in broad day light countrywide.

Some examples include political killings in KZN, contract killings, especially in the business sector and hits targeting the taxi, construction and other industries.

READ: 55 Political figures assassinated between 2011 and September 2023

Last month, a Rand Water Executive was shot over eight times, together with one of his bodyguards during a back to school charity event.

READ: Rand Water denies failing to protect Teboho Joala

To date, no one has been taken in for questioning, but two suspects were identified from video footage obtained by police.

So why are the wheels of justice turning so slowly?

Dr Jean Redpath from the University of the Western Cape and she is a senior researcher at the Africa Criminal Justice Reform, a programme of the Dullah Omar Institute at the university.