Johannesburg – AfriForum’s Private Prosecutions Unit has revealed that a senior prosecutor informed the family of Dezireè du Plessis that the state was considering charging the taxi driver, who ran over the athlete, with murder.
Du Plessis suffered extensive injuries when she was knocked down by a taxi during the Soweto Marathon in November last year.
Du Plessis passed away on 12 December 2025.
“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,” AfriForum’s Private Prosecutions Unit stated on Thursday, 29 January 2026.
In a letter to the senior prosecutor at the Orlando Magistrate’s Court, the unit’s head, Advocate Gerrie Nel, made the case for charging Ndlovu with the more serious offence.
“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 Advocate Nel.
Barry Bateman, the AfriForum’s Private Prosecutions Unit spokesperson, noted that Du Plessis came from 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,” stated Bateman.
“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.”
The case was postponed to 27 February 2026 for further investigation, while the accused, despite being granted bail, remains in custody.
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