A woman in Durban’s Phoenix area has been left frustrated and fearful after being told by police that there was a three-week wait to serve a protection order against her abusive husband. The shocking incident unfolded when the woman, who asked to remain anonymous, went to Phoenix Police Station for help after obtaining a protection order against her husband. The response she received was disheartening: police informed her that they couldn’t act immediately due to a backlog and a lack of resources. She was advised to return in three weeks, leaving her in a state of helplessness and fear for her safety.
Seeking alternative action, the woman followed her lawyer’s advice and went to Verulam Police Station, where her husband worked. However, she was met with further disillusionment. Two police officers accompanied her to the location, but instead of taking action, they remained in their vehicles, telling her to go inside and personally serve the protection order to her husband. When she found that her husband was not at work, she left, still without any protection, and now living away from her home in constant fear. This experience has left her deeply disappointed, questioning the very system meant to safeguard her.
Her lawyer, Meena Singh, voiced her outrage over the situation, emphasizing the gravity of the issue. Singh argued that the failure of the police to act swiftly in such a critical matter speaks volumes about the ineffective response to gender-based violence (GBV) in the country. “My client could have been killed while police officers sat in their car,” Singh pointed out, calling attention to the risk that many women in abusive relationships face when the system fails them. Protection orders are supposed to provide immediate relief to victims, but when law enforcement is either slow to respond or fails to follow through, the entire process is undermined.
Unfortunately, the woman’s story is not an isolated incident. Across the country, many victims of gender-based violence face similar issues when seeking police assistance. Whether it’s a lack of resources, insufficient training for officers, or ingrained patriarchal attitudes, the system is often not equipped to support those who need help most. These failures can create a culture where survivors feel unsupported and unsafe, dissuading them from seeking help or even reporting further incidents of abuse. As a result, many women remain trapped in violent situations, too afraid to reach out for help due to the fear of being dismissed or treated indifferently by the very institutions that should protect them.
Siyabulela Monakali, a spokesperson for a local advocacy group, emphasized the need for urgent reforms in the justice system. “Survivors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and their safety must always be a priority,” Monakali stated. The organization has called on all stakeholders, including government and law enforcement, to reaffirm their commitment to creating a justice system that truly serves the vulnerable. Without swift and decisive action, the cycle of violence will only continue, leaving survivors of abuse trapped in a system that seems indifferent to their suffering.
