Speeches

Remarks by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, on the occasion of the Memorial Service of Tracy Brown, Thursday, 07 August 2025

Program director
Members of the Brown Family
Prosecutors who are present here.
Good afternoon

Let me start by sending my sincere condolences to the family of Tracy Brown, friends, colleagues at the National Prosecuting Authority, and the people of Qgeberha for this tragic loss. In Tracy we have lost a dedicated prosecutor, a lawyer with integrity, a hardworking public servant and a patriot.

Her untimely death is a huge loss to the justice family. Death has robbed us of a warrior of Justice who prosecuted without fear or favour. As our hearts are heavy with pain and grief in mourning Tracy’s lost life, we are also here to celebrate a life well-lived. A life of a person who found a purpose and she pursued it relentlessly.

Tracy worked to ensure that the perpetrators of domestic violence, assault and other gender-based violence matters are punished and removed from society to prevent them from inflicting further harm on their victims. Her work in this role was so outstanding that she was awarded a certificate for outstanding performance in recognition of her excellence.

She did her work so that communities could be safe, her work made sure that those who commit rape, murder and robberies are put away. Those who commit crimes feared her because they knew she does her job too well and she would ensure that they paid for their crimes. They knew that Tracy would never allow injustice to go unpunished, she would not let those who continue to terrorise communities and inflict untold suffering on others to go scot free.

Like all prosecutors, Tracy wanted to win cases. But she didn’t want to win for winning’s sake because in our country where crime is high, a win for a prosecutor is a saved life, a child protected, and a woman’s life changed for the better. She wanted to win for the sake of the person whose life would be forever shaped by the verdict and indeed she changed many lives. She understood that justice is about so much more than the cases that you make; it is about the people that you help.

Tracy has been taken from us far too soon, and the loss of this incredibly gifted woman is made even more devastating by the promise of what else she might have accomplished had she also had the gift of time. With her passion for the pursuit of Justice, she would have been the first to say that her life’s work was not about her. She would have said that her work was for the poor, vulnerable, the voiceless and the weak.

We, who have remained behind have an obligation to carry on. So, as we bid farewell to a devoted partner, a loving mother, a sister, an exceptional and patriotic public servant and our dear friend, let us resolve to pick up where Tracy left off. The time that she would have spent with her family, she gave it to her country and its people.

She put her skills, her time and her courage at the country’s disposal and for that we owe her a great debt of gratitude. Let us resolve to continue the work that she began. And let us renew our commitment to building the more just society that Tracy Brown wished to live in; the more just society that was her life’s defining pursuit; the more just society that through our efforts we will one day achieve.

We call on the police to leave no stone unturned in bringing the cowards who murdered Tracy to book. But more importantly, let this be a wake-up call to the policing services that we need to strengthen the protection the prosecutors. This is the second prosecutor we have lost in this province in less than six months.

All of us in the security cluster should be concerned about this development. The lives of prosecutors are endangered by the type of work they do. Without protection prosecutors will be unable to perform the duty without fear or favour and they will not be able to exercise their independence. There should be more police visibility in our communities so these types of senseless killings can be reduced.

In the words of Martin Luther Junior, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

Tracy was one of those dedicated individuals who exerted themselves tirelessly and who had passionate concern for her community and for this she sacrificed her time and all she had. She served as an example for a person with ethical conduct and integrity and most of excellence. Her rapid rise through the ranks of the National Prosecuting Authority is a testament for her achievements and unblemished record as a prosecutor.

As we celebrate women’s month let us pay tribute to patriots such as Tracy who have dedicated themselves to human progress. Let her life and work serve as an example of the kind of passion and dedication that all of us should demonstrate to achieve a just society where women and children can be safe.

On behalf of our government, let me again send our sincere condolences for this tragic loss. Let me also thank the family for lending Tracy to work with us and serve the people of South Africa. We will continue to cherish her legacy as a prosecutor, and we shall never dishonour her memory.

I thank you