This petition seeks accountability after a femicide in Alberton, Gauteng, and calls on the Director of Public Prosecutions to oppose bail in light of serious risk factors.

Background (Publicly Reported Information)
For members of the public seeking background to this matter, reference is made to a publicly available media report published by the Alberton Record, outlining the circumstances surrounding the death of Juanita Vermeulen.
Here is the full story as reported by the Alberton Record and the Citizen:

https://www.citizen.co.za/alberton-record/news-headlines/local-crime-news/2026/01/10/blood-stains-found-at-home-after-woman-discovered-stabbed-in-brackenhurst/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPYtQNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe66zlBCCGXQ6NBBCS8GU09YCBdYFvnBewHWIWpd-5nk-8hkqzJcH6lfUPKLY_aem_O8kR8bwggWpoUFW7CcViXg

We, the undersigned, submit this petition in solidarity with Juanita and in support of the State’s opposition to bail in the matter of her alleged murder.

Her husband allegedly killed Juanita in Alberton, Gauteng, South Africa, on the 9th of January— an act that forms part of South Africa’s ongoing and devastating crisis of femicide. Her voice was taken, and with it her ability to speak for her own safety, dignity, and life, as well as that of her daughter.

This petition is not a demand for a verdict, nor an attempt to interfere with judicial independence. Rather, it is an expression of community concern, grief, and solidarity in cases involving the alleged murder of an intimate partner.
Granting bail in matters of this nature raises serious concerns, including:
 - The gravity of the charge and the violence alleged
 - The fact that the victim has been permanently silenced
 - The impact on public confidence in the justice system
 - The message sent to survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence

Juanita cannot attend her own bail hearing.
She cannot speak for herself.
We therefore stand together to affirm that her life mattered, her voice mattered, and this case matters.
By signing this petition, we express our support for the State’s opposition to bail and our call for this matter to be treated with the seriousness it warrants.

This petition exists so that Juanita is not forgotten, minimized, or reduced to a statistic.
Her voice was taken. Ours will not be silent.

Who This Petition Is Addressed To
 - The Magistrate presiding over the bail hearing
 - The National Prosecuting Authority
 - The South African justice system