Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Media statements | Private prosecution Media statements

State contemplates murder charge in deadly Soweto Marathon crash following AfriForum intervention

ByAfriForum 29/01/202629/01/2026

A senior prosecutor has informed the family of Dezireè du Plessis that the state is considering charging the taxi driver who ran her down during the Soweto Marathon in November last year with murder. Du Plessis passed away on 12 December, having suffered extensive injuries. While her family is satisfied that the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are handling the case properly, they approached the unit out of concern that culpable homicide was not the appropriate charge that Thabang Ndlovu, the driver, should face.

In a letter to the senior prosecutor at the Orlando Magistrates Court, the unit’s head, Adv. Gerrie Nel, made the case for charging Ndlovu with the more serious offense. “According to media reports, the accused ignored verbal and even physical warnings from traffic control personnel not to enter the restricted area and instead proceeded. According to the information, several runners had to get out of the way of the accused’s vehicle before he eventually and predictably hit the deceased.

“An argument that the accused foresaw the possibility of him hitting a runner and reconciled himself with this possibility is not only a reasonable inference, but the inference that the accused acted deliberately is ineluctable,” said Nel.

Barry Bateman, the unit’s spokesperson, says Du Plessis was born into a police family. “Dezireè’s mother and father were both members of the SAPS and dedicated their lives to serving society and ensuring justice prevails. It is our responsibility to ensure that the same holds true in this senseless death of a mother, sister, and daughter, and AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit extends its full support and cooperation to the police and NPA,” says Bateman.

The case was postponed to 27 February 2026 for further investigation, while the accused, despite being granted bail, remains in custody.