It was a day of high drama on Wednesday as several alleged child killers appeared in different Nelson Mandela Bay courts, closely watched by the enraged families of the victims.
They are facing charges related to the deaths of four youngsters, aged between eight and 19, in three separate incidents.
In Kariega, the upset grandfather of murdered Veronique May, 8, angrily launched himself at the 27-year-old suspect, Lelethu Nkosana, as he was being led from the holding cells.
Nkosana, as a result, subsequently abandoned his bid for bail but not before Veronique’s father also lunged at him.
Outside the court, at about 9am, police monitored a group of residents who had gathered there, singing and carrying placards calling for justice for Veronique.
The little girl went missing on Sunday afternoon and her body was found on Monday in the room of a property near the family’s home in KwaLanga, Kariega.
Just before court proceedings started, Veronique’s grandfather, Reggie Khumazi, walked in and sat across from the dock among police orderlies and heavily armed officers.
His son, Bulelani, followed and sat just behind the dock.
A few minutes later, Nkosana was called into the dock.
As Nkosana was led up the stairs, Khumazi rushed at him.
During the melee, as police orderlies tried to restrain Khumazi, Bulelani lunged at Nkosana and they flew down the stairway and crashed into the door of the holding cells.
Confusion and disorder reigned briefly before court officials eventually whisked Khumazi and Bulelani away.
The people in the gallery roared their approval, with some asking for the suspect to be released to them.
“We will deal with him. He must be released,” one resident shouted.
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Another said: “He got him. Bulelani did not cry for his baby at all. Maybe he was waiting for this moment.”
Nkosana indicated in court that he had been charged with assault in about 2022 and received a suspended sentence.
He said he did not have any pending criminal cases.
The matter was postponed to November 10 for further investigation.
Lusanda Ganjana said the committee of Ward 50 and surrounding areas felt they should organise themselves and show their support for Veronique’s family.
A relative, Ntombikhaya Mesoyama, said she was pained by what had happened to Veronique.
“We want justice. That is why he [Reggie] is hurt. He helped raise her,” Mesoyama said.
In the same courtroom, sat the families of Ibanathi Peter, 17, and Sinothando Malinga, 19, whose burnt bodies were discovered in Khayelitsha, KwaNobuhle, on June 18 2024.
Their bodies were found by goat herders at about 7am near the boundary of the Nyosi Wildlife Reserve and KwaNobuhle, adjacent to Fourth Avenue, Khayelitsha.
Four suspects — Akhulywe Phungulwa, Adele Ngalo, Siphosethu Gommomo and Zubinathi Dyakimini — were arrested on June 19.
They appeared in court on June 23 and were remanded pending further investigation.
On Wednesday, Gommomo and Dyakimini opted to lodge a formal bail application while Phungulwa and Ngalo abandoned theirs.
The case was postponed to October 14.
Peter and Malinga’s families declined to comment.
However, KwaNobuhle community leader and crime activist Tamsanqa Nkevu, who attended the court proceedings with both families, said they were shocked that the accused could consider a bail application.
“It came as a surprise to us.
“We do not know where the sudden confidence to apply for bail comes from.
“It was not there at the beginning because all the accused had abandoned all bail applications and made it clear to the state that they didn’t want to apply for bail,” Nkevu said.
He said it was sad to witness a parent of one of the victims breaking down in the presence of one of the alleged murderers in court.
“It was sad and painful to watch.
“This is the first that families had to come this close to the [alleged] murderers of their children. It was an emotional and intense moment for all of us,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Gqeberha, a large group of residents marched in honour of Micah Klaasen, 16, who was murdered in Fairview on Saturday night, as well as Tristan Jacobs, 18, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Stanford Road on September 20, and all other victims of violence in the northern areas.
Four of the seven suspects who had handed themselves over to police after Micah’s murder appeared in the city’s magistrate’s court on Wednesday, where the matter was postponed to Thursday for a formal bail application.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said on Wednesday evening that the prosecutor at the Nerina One Stop Youth Justice Centre in Gqeberha had advised that she had no clarity on when the juveniles would be appearing.
Nelson Mandela Bay district commissioner Major-General Vuyisile Ncata said police would continue increasing their efforts to raise awareness around GBV and amp up crime-fighting measures.
“First, it’s so disappointing finding older people killing young children because the one suspect is nearly 30 and allegedly killed an eight-year-old child,” Ncata said.
“GBV is a pandemic we need to deal with, and the criminal justice system is doing everything in its power to combat it.
“We can’t have such people in society who aren’t allowing members of the community to live freely and safe,” he said.
The Herald
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