Tristan Perez joins Cape Town cricket club while facing murder charge in court

The return of a Cape Town cricketer accused of murdering his girlfriend to competitive club cricket has sparked concern from Women For Change, which is calling for greater safeguarding measures while the case remains before the courts, Cape {town} Etc reports.

Tristan Perez has joined Blue Bells Cricket Club ahead of the 2026/27 Western Province Cricket Association first division D season, according to Club Cricket SA.

The development comes months after Perez was arrested following the death of his girlfriend, Elana Brooke, at her home in Cape Town on 23 March 2026.

Perez has been charged with murder and remains before the courts. He was released on R5 000 bail after his arrest.

Women For Change says the issue is not about declaring Perez guilty before a court has reached a verdict.

Instead, the organisation is questioning what responsibility sporting institutions have when someone facing such a serious criminal allegation seeks to participate in competitive sport.

‘Elana Brooke is dead. The man accused of murdering her is preparing to play cricket,’ Women For Change said.

The organisation has called on Blue Bells Cricket Club and the Western Province Cricket Association to urgently review the matter and explain what safeguarding measures apply when a player faces allegations involving murder or other serious gender-based violence and femicide-related offences.

Women For Change argues that temporarily preventing someone accused of a serious offence from representing a sporting institution should not automatically be viewed as a finding of guilt.

It describes such a move as a potential safeguarding measure while criminal proceedings are still under way.

Perez was arrested at the scene of Brooke’s death after police initially responded to the incident as a possible suicide.

The case was later reclassified as murder after further investigation reportedly uncovered evidence of foul play and an alleged attempt to stage the death as a suicide. Brooke was allegedly strangled.

Perez was subsequently released on bail.

His matter has since moved from the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court to the Regional Court. He appeared in August before the case was transferred on 22 September, with the matter postponed to 15 October.

He has not been convicted of Brooke’s murder.

Perez has reportedly joined Blue Bells earlier this month and is expected to be part of the club’s 2026/27 Western Province Cricket Association first division D campaign.

The club’s season is scheduled to begin with a T20 fixture against Seacrest Cricket Club on 3 October.

His return to club cricket is particularly sensitive given Brooke’s own connection to the Western Province cricket community.

The WPCA previously described Brooke as a cherished member of its wider cricket family, remembering her regular support for its senior teams and her presence at matches at Newlands.

The association extended its condolences to Brooke’s family following her death.

For Women For Change, the situation also raises questions about what South Africa’s declaration of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide as a National Disaster should mean in practice.

The organisation says more than 1.1 million people supported its petition calling for GBVF to receive that classification.

Following months of advocacy and public mobilisation, GBVF was officially classified as a National Disaster in November 2025.

Women For Change says that recognition should represent more than a government declaration.

It argues that sporting organisations, workplaces, universities and schools should also consider their institutional responsibilities when serious allegations of violence against women arise.

The organisation is now asking Blue Bells Cricket Club and the WPCA to clarify their safeguarding policies and how they apply to players facing serious criminal charges.

It is also calling for consistent safeguarding standards across South African sport.

The Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act 12 of 2021 strengthened bail provisions relating to GBVF-related offences, which Women For Change says further highlights the seriousness with which such cases should be treated.

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Picture: Women For Change / Facebook