Justice system has failed us: Mbhele family

The Mbhele family says the Justice System has failed them. There seems to be no headway with police investigations into the double rape and murder case of their two girls Lindiwe and Neliswe. Response from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is that police are pursuing all leads.

Lindiwe would have completed matric this year and possibly would have gone on to study medicine. Equally driven - Nelisiwe would have been at secondary school. But on June 13, 2005 their dreams came to an abrupt end. "I always see their friends and say they would have been there but now they are no more. Lindiwe would say to Neliswe, if you don't want to go to school, when you get old - I'll hire you to wash my nappies for my kids," says the father of the sisters Essau Mbhele.

Almost three years on, no progress in the case has been made. Even though the Mbhele family has not given up hope.

Suspects were arrested and then released
The girls were last seen alive on June 1, 2006 as they walked to church to meet their mother - but they never arrived there. About 12 days later their partially decomposed bodies were found. Two suspects were arrested and released on bail of R5 000 each. The case was later transferred to the Johannesburg High Court and a third man handed himself over to police. But all three suspects were released after the case was struck off the roll.

Police however have also not given up hope. "They have indicated to us that they are following certain leads at the conclusion of the investigation they will hand over the docket to us for prosecution decision, said NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali.

However, with very little information from authorities about new leads in the case, a sense of despair consumes the parents who feel they have been failed by the justice system.