Family of Courtney Pieters joined by hundreds of mourners at murdered three-year-old's funeral

Hundreds of people crammed a hall in Cape Town on Saturday to say their last farewell to three-year-old Courtney Pieters.

Those unable to fit inside Adriaanse Community Centre in Clarke’s Estate‚ Elsies River‚ gathered outside. They included dozens of motorcyclists from across Cape Town.

Courtney’s body arrived in a white casket after leaving the family home in Pluto Road. Her family‚ including mother Juanita Pieters‚ father Aaron Adonis and brother Adrian‚ were dressed in white‚ black and pink.

The three-year-old was found in a shallow grave next to unused railroad tracks in Epping a week ago. She had been missing for a week.

Mourning throng turns out for funeral of murdered CourtneyHundreds of people crammed a hall in Cape Town on Saturday to say their last farewell to three-year-old Courtney Pieters. 

Mortimer Saunders‚ 40‚ who lived in the Pieters family home‚ appeared in Goodwood Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday charged with murder‚ rape and kidnapping.

Western Cape Community Safety MEC Dan Plato was at the funeral. He was also at a memorial service for Courtney held on Thursday‚ the same day President Jacob Zuma visited the Pieters family home.

Earlier on Saturday‚ hundreds of people joined a “Your child is my child” march for peace in memory of Courtney that began at Elsies River High School.

After the funeral service‚ Courtney was to be buried at Belhar Cemetery.