By Quadissiyah Kasu

The body of Jocelyn Claasen a witness in the murder case of Scarborough surfer David Wolfromm was found early Sunday morning in Ocean View. The pregnant mother was shot and killed just four days before she was due to give birth to her second child and many are wondering whether she was targeted or just another person found victim of everyday crime. Manenberg community activist Roegshanda Pascoe, who was a witness in the Angela Davids murder trial, has raised on the alarm on the dangers posed to state witness in murder cases.

Many have questioned the safety of South Africa’s witness protection system. Are people under witness protection getting the necessary safety and security that’s meant to be given to them?

Simon Howell, a senior researcher in criminology at UCT said there are many levels of state protection but if one turns state witness you are undertaking a judicial process. Under the state, witnesses are meant to receive some sort of protection where there is a threat is identified.
Past information states that South Africa has one of the best witness protection systems in place yet there are several murders and injuries that occur while people are under witness protection.

Howell states that while there are problems with the witness protection systems, there are also problems with witnesses themselves not following the rules.
He said that witnesses should not be doing anything that will release their location such as using their cellphones, telling people where they are placed and revealing their identity. They need to cut off their normal life until it is deemed safe.

There is also the concern that security and safety personnel of SAPS are not properly informed of what should be done during an instance of someone being under witness protection.

Howell said: “There are issues around such as resources. It’s quite a costly exercise and the more people in witness protection, the more venues and the more resources you need to protect them which are limited.”

Howell said South Africa has a good witness protection program when looked at on a global scale but because people only hear of the failures of the system, the success stories are not widely spoken about.