Johannesburg – The family of a Reiger Park toddler found murdered in August, on Wednesday called for justice.

Cuburne van Wyk’s grandmother Daphne Fredericks said they were still suffering as the case against her 3-year-old grandson’s alleged killer dragged on.

“I don’t feel good about it,” she told journalists outside the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court in

Ekurhuleni shortly, after the case against murder-accused Nathaniel Katlego Mpoku was postponed.

“Every time I think about it, I just cry and cry,” she said.

“Things don’t [turn] out the way I thought they would,” she said, referring to the pace of the case.

Disappeared while playing with friends

Mpoku’s case was postponed to 17 December as the court awaited a decision by the director of public prosecutions on whether to proceed with his prosecution.

Mpoku was arrested in August, days after Van Wyk’s body was found. The boy disappeared on 6 August while playing outside with his siblings.

His body was discovered by a passer-by at a mine dump in Reiger Park three days later.
Police said he died from multiple head injuries and burn wounds.

During his last appearance, Mpoku abandoned his bail bid. Dressed in a yellow sweater with a pink hoodie, he kept his face lowered as he stood in the dock.

“He doesn’t even want to look at me,” said Van Wyk’s father Elroy Peterson.

Tears flowed as the family, dressed in white T-shirts with a picture of Van Wyk, said they wondered how the boy pleaded for his life.

Little confidence in court

Grieving mother Lezell van Wyk had little to say as she stood alongside her family.

Peterson expressed little confidence in the court, saying they had seen two high-profile cases dropped in the same court.

He was referring to the case of Taegrin Morris, another Reiger Park toddler, who was killed following a botched hijacking earlier this year.

Thamsanqa Twala who was arrested for the crime, was released after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) withdrew all the charges against him.

The case against Zanokuhle Mbatha, allegedly implicated in the fatal shooting of Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was also heard in the same court.

Mbatha was released following what the NPA said were inconsistencies in the State’s case.

Peterson said it was best that his son’s alleged killer, who was reportedly out on parole at the time of the crime, remain behind bars.

SAPA