Sapa repports that a Diepsloot couple accused of murdering the woman’s seven-month-old baby appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The case against Nokuthula Gumede, 23, and her Mozambican boyfriend Fernanado Sidanvo, 35, was postponed to January 21 for further investigation.
Gumede and Sidanvo remained in custody. Sidanvo told the court he lost his residence permit when Diepsloot residents ransacked his shack.
The baby was found dead and mutilated earlier this month.
Police spokesman Captain Tsekiso Mofokeng said rats gnawed off the baby’s foot while the child was left alone in a shack. However, sources within Diepsloot describe the murder as a muti or medicine murder and that the body parts of the child were being sold to witchdoctors.
Gumede was arrested in a Randburg, Johannesburg, tavern two weeks ago, and Sidanvo the following day in Diepsloot.
A Diepsloot couple accused of murdering and neglecting the woman’s seven-month-old baby is scheduled to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Nokuthula Gumede, 23, and her boyfriend Fernando Sidanvo, 35, have been held in police custody since their arrests last week.
The baby was found dead and mutilated in a shack in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, on November 10.
Captain Tsekiso Mofokeng said at the time that rats bit off the baby’s foot while it was alone in a shack.
Gumede was arrested in a Randburg tavern last Tuesday. Sidanvo was arrested in Diepsloot the next day.
The baby’s two-year-old sister was placed under the care of social workers last Thursday because her grandmother was being investigated, said Mofokeng.
“There is a possibility of the grandmother being charged with child negligence, but we are still investigating.”
Mofokeng said the toddlers were initially in her care, and she was not supposed to give them to their mother, who allegedly often neglected them. – Sapa
A case of murder is being investigated after a baby who was left alone for the night in a shack was found dead and mutilated by rats, Gauteng police said on Monday.
“We have registered a case of murder, but initially it was an inquest,” Captain Tsekiso Mofokeng said.
On Sunday morning, Diepsloot residents raised the alarm after finding the baby dead in a shack. Police arrived to find the body with a foot missing.
“Further investigations informed police that [the foot] was bitten off by rats,” said Mofokeng.
Police were still awaiting the results of the postmortem to definitively determine the cause of death.
Mofokeng said the baby’s mother was missing and had still not been located by Monday morning, contrary to media reports that she had reported the matter to police.
Child neglect He said the murder investigation would look into how the baby came to be left alone in the shack.
In September, a case of child neglect was registered against the baby’s mother, which resulted in her two children being placed in the care of their grandmother, he said.
The mother had picked up only the seven-month-old boy from the grandmother on Saturday.
Diepsloot has been rocked by a spate of recent child killings. In October, two toddler girls aged two and three were discovered in public toilets after being raped and murdere
Hundreds of outraged residents took to the streets to protest, including mothers with children strapped to their backs who marched on a makeshift police station. Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa at the time pledged to step up the fight against those responsible for violence against children.
Charges against four of the five men accused of the toddler killings were dropped.
The previous month, a five-year-old girl was found murdered near her home in Diepsloot after it was believed she was raped. – Sapa
Diepsloot, a black township north of Johannesburg.
Five men accused of kidnapping, raping and killing two toddlers from Diepsloot will appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
They face two counts of murder, rape, and kidnapping after two-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her three-year-old cousin Zandile Mali were found dead in a Diepsloot toilet on October 15.
The men have remained in custody since their last appearance last Thursday.
National Prosecutions Authority spokesman Medupi Simasiku told reporters outside the court: “We hope by November 1 we will have enough evidence.”
He said the police were working with home affairs officials to verify the men’s identities.
The crime sparked widespread outrage.
On the day the girls’ bodies were discovered, President Jacob Zuma said: “These gruesome incidents of extreme torture and murder of our children do not belong to the society that we are continuously striving to build together.”
After the murders were discovered, Diepsloot residents stoned cars and burnt tyres in the street outside the local police station in protest. – Sapa
Five men accused of kidnapping, raping and killing two toddlers from Diepsloot appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The matter was postponed to November 1 for further investigation. They remained in custody.
The courtroom was packed to capacity by residents of Diepsloot, family and supporters of political parties.
National Prosecutions Authority spokesman Medupi Simasiku told reporters outside the court: “We hope by November 1 we will have enough evidence.”
He said police were working with home affairs officials to verify the identities of the men.
They face two counts of murder, rape, and kidnapping after two-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her three-year-old cousin Zandile Mali were found dead in a Diepsloot toilet last Tuesday.
Earlier in the morning, supporters of Agang SA were among those who managed to get seats in the packed courtroom while others stood outside.
Security guards manned both doors to the court.
Four of the men appeared in court on Friday and the case was been postponed for them to apply for Legal Aid.
On Monday, a fifth man, aged 29, appeared in court. He was arrested in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, on Friday.
After the murders were discovered, Diepsloot residents stoned cars and burnt tyres in the street outside the local police station in protest. – Sapa
A 29-year-old accused of the murder of two children in Diepsloot was expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
He was arrested in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, on Friday for the murder of two-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her three-year-old cousin, Zandile Mali.
The man had been on the run since the discovery of the toddlers in a toilet cubicle on Tuesday.
He would face two charges of murder, rape and kidnapping.
Four other men appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of rape and murder. The case was postponed to Thursday for the men to apply for Legal Aid.
The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) expressed outrage on Friday at the killing and raping of children in Diepsloot and elsewhere in the country.
“It is with great sadness that we experience yet another rape and murder of children,” the organisation said in a statement.
“It should be noted that this happens at the time when the CGE has taken measures to ensure that there is public awareness… of gender-based violence in our society.”
It welcomed the arrests in Diepsloot.
“[We] applaud the police for moving swiftly in arresting the alleged perpetrator and believe justice would be served. The CGE will closely monitor the case as part of its internal mandate.”
On Tuesday, Diepsloot residents took to the streets after the bodies of two-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her three-year-old cousin Zandile Mali, were discovered in a communal toilet. They had been reported missing at the weekend.
Four men appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of rape and murder. The case was postponed to Thursday for the men to apply for Legal Aid. A fifth man, who was arrested early Friday morning in Alexandra, will appear on Monday.
The girls’ funeral will be held on Saturday.
In a separate case, on Wednesday, Katlehong residents found two toddlers, aged one and three, dead in a field near Zonkizizwe. Their mother, Esther Moyana, faces two charges of murder for allegedly poisoning them.
She initially told police that her husband had abandoned her and the children in the veld on Tuesday, while on their way from Witbank to Johannesburg.
She claimed he left them with cooldrink, which they drank on Tuesday night. When she woke in the morning, the children were dead.
Police said there appeared to be discrepancies in Moyana’s story. – Sapa
Diepsloot, a black township north of Johannesburg.
Some Diepsloot residents angered by the killing of two children vowed on Friday to vote for the Economic Freedom Fighters in general elections next year.
“In other countries if you kill you get killed, but in South Africa you are awarded with a comfortable life in prison. You eat healthy food and you have a television,” said Reneilwe Mokwena, 34, a mother of four.
Another mother, Darksha Fenyane, 36, said the two of them would be voting for the EFF, saying President Jacob Zuma had let them down.
“We voted for him not knowing he is like this. He must not come here because we will hurt him,” said Fenyane.
The bodies of two-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her cousin Zandile Mali, three, were found on Tuesday. They were reported missing at the weekend.
Four men appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of rape and murder. The case was postponed to Thursday for the men to apply for Legal Aid.
A fifth man, who was arrested early Friday morning in Alexandra, would appear in the court on Monday.
Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane urged Diepsloot residents to support the family of the two toddlers.
“This is something that must never happen to anybody’s child,” she said outside the family’s home in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg.
She said police received information which helped them make the arrests.
“What has happened today [Friday] in Diepsloot is a demonstration that community and police relationship are very important. Their partnership can go a long way.
“Now that the suspect has been arrested let’s all rally behind the family give them the necessary support. Give the mothers space to grieve the loss of their children so that they can find closure.”
She told reporters the family was thankful and looking forward to a swift prosecution of the perpetrators.
Earlier, residents gathered outside the police station to protest about the murders. They demanded that police release the fifth man so they could burn him.
Police were in the area as Economic Freedom Fighters supporters and African National Congress supporters clashed. EFF supporters accused ANC supporters of beating them. – Sapa
Economic Freedom Fighters supporters accused ANC supporters of beating them up in Diepsloot on Friday.
Residents supporting the EFF stood outside the Diepsloot police station but were not allowed in.
They complained about being shut out saying the police were supposed to provide a place of safety.
Residents refused to speak to the media. However, one EFF supporter said he planned to open a case with the police.
Earlier, angry Diepsloot residents gathered outside the local police station protesting about the murder of two toddlers.
They demanded that police release to them a fifth man arrested earlier in the day so they could burn him.
The bodies of two-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her cousin Zandile Mali, three, were found on Tuesday. They were reported missing at the weekend.
Four men are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of rape and murder.
There was a heavy police presence in the area.
The African National Congress Youth League marched to the police station to hand over a memorandum.
“We raised a lot of grievances that we have as a community here in Diepsloot on issues of crime and drugs,” ANCYL national task team co-ordinator Mzwandile Masina said after handing over the memorandum.
“Now we want to work with the community to ensure there’s peace in the area. We want visible policing at all times.”
Residents supporting the ANC and those supporting Julius Malema’s EFF clashed in the streets.
EFF supporters in red berets sang songs mocking President Jacob Zuma.
“If you are a person who is voting for Zuma you are not to be trusted,” they sang in Sesotho.
Some residents ripped up ANC placards.
Others started banging on a car when they saw a person in an ANC T-shirt inside. Police intervened. – Sapa
Gauteng police are offering a R100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a man suspected to be the murderer of two toddlers found dead in Diepsloot earlier this week.
Police released an identikit of the man on Thursday.
“The suspect is in his early 30s, not older than 34, [of] slight build, 1.7m tall, light in complexion, and was wearing a wool hat,” Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini said.
“It is believed that he has different colour wool hats. He has a cut on the lower lip and a red ring on his left hand. He is believed to be either from KwaZulu-Natal or Swaziland.”
Four foreign nationals were taken in for questioning.
The bodies of two-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her cousin Zandile Mali, three, were found in a public toilet cubicle in Diepsloot at 5am on Tuesday by a resident.
They were reported missing at the weekend.
Residents went on the rampage after the bodies were discovered.
Police said a team of detectives had been appointed to investigate the murders. – Sapa
Diepsloot in northern Johannesburg was quiet over night after residents protested over the murder of two toddlers whose bodies were discovered in a toilet, police said on Wednesday.
“There has been no incidents so far since last [Tuesday] night,” said spokesman Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini.
Angry residents took to the streets and blocked roads in the township on Tuesday.
The two little girls, aged 2 and 3, were reported missing at the weekend.
Their bodies were discovered by a community member on Tuesday.
A team of detectives has been appointed to investigate the murders, said Dlamini. – Sapa
Two men were shot dead at the Diepsloot taxi rank on Wednesday night, Gauteng police said.
The two men, believed to be taxi owners, were sitting in a taxi when two gunmen approached them and opened fire, Lt-Col Katlego Mogale said on Thursday.
“At this stage the motive for the killings is not known and investigations are ongoing.”
The two men were declared dead at the scene. Mogale could not confirm if the killings were directly related to conflict in the taxi industry.
A man allegedly linked to the shooting of a taxi driver at the Diepsloot taxi rank in Johannesburg earlier this week has turned himself in, police said on Friday.
Warrant Officer Daniel Mavimbela said the man arrived at the police station with his attorney on Thursday night.
“His arrest takes to four the number of suspects charged with the attempted murder of the taxi driver,” said Mavimbela.
The three other men were arrested in Hillbrow on Wednesday.
All four of them would appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Police said the victim was standing with other taxi drivers on Monday morning when a car drove up to them.
An argument ensued between the taxi drivers and the occupants of the car.
One of the people in the car then opened fire, and shot the taxi driver in the lower body.
Police said they believed the shooting was related to a taxi drivers’ strike, which left hundreds of Diepsloot commuters stranded.
The taxi drivers were demanding to be promoted to taxi owners.
The strike ended on Wednesday. – Sapa
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