Mother collapses as Sibusiso Dakuse's alleged kidnapper/killer appears in court

A MOTHER'S ANGUISH: Yonela, the distraught mother of murdered Hout Bay child Sibusiso Dakuse, at the court appearance of his alleged murderer.
A MOTHER'S ANGUISH: Yonela, the distraught mother of murdered Hout Bay child Sibusiso Dakuse, at the court appearance of his alleged murderer.
Image: Aron Hyman/TimesLIVE

Hout Bay residents filled court 4 in the Wynberg magistrate's court on Monday where a 23-year-old man made a brief appearance on charges of kidnapping and murdering 13-year-old Sibusiso Dakuse.

The suspect appeared in court dressed in sweatpants and a red sweater.

Sibusiso's mother Yonela collapsed after seeing the man accused of killing her son.

She looked at him with an expression of horror while gasping for air, as the state prosecutor told the court the accused is linked to Sibusiso's murder through various pieces of evidence — and a confession.

According to the state, it is in possession of video footage showing him going to the scene of the murder. Eyewitnesses will also testify to last seeing Sibusiso in his company.

As the accused was led down to the holding cells beneath the courtroom, people in the court shouted expletives at him while Sibusiso's mother leant over a wooden railing to catch a last glimpse of him before she collapsed on to the floor.

According to Sibusiso's uncle, Luyanda Ndzakayi, the Sentinel Primary School pupil was last seen during basketball practice with the accused after school on Wednesday.

Police said Sibusiso's body was found among reeds on Kronendal Farm in Hout Bay on Friday.

Sibusiso's classmates and residents protested outside the court on Monday morning with cardboard placards calling for the court to refuse bail and for the death penalty to be reinstated.

Sibusiso was part of the Kronendal Music Academy which shared a video on Sunday of Sibusiso reciting a poem.

In the post Sibusiso was described as “sweet, intelligent, and talented”.

" ... More than anything else, it is beyond comprehension that Sibusiso's beautiful voice will not be heard again. Sibu, we saw you, we understood you and we love you,” it read.

How talented he was!????

Posted by Eddie Thompson on Saturday, February 29, 2020

Sibusiso was the third child to be murdered in Cape Town since the start of February after the murder of 7-year-old Emaan Solomons on Tuesday last week, and 8-year-old Tazné van Wyk three weeks ago. An 8-year-old boy was also murdered in Tulbach on Sunday.

The case has been postponed to March 17.


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