Tazne’s family in pain as trial delayed for a year
THE family of slain Tazne van Wyk were left heartbroken at the Western Cape High Court yesterdayafter hearing that the murder trial had been postponed until May next year.
The 8-year-old girl from Connaught Estate in Ravensmead went missing on February 7 last year, after she left her home to buy a water ice at a shop a few metres from her home.
Her body was found 12 days later in a stormwater drain on the N1 in Worcester.
Her body was found only after the accused, Moehydien Pangaker, pointed it out to the police.
Previous court proceedings revealed that Tazne was raped and bashed to death, and her hand cut off.
Pangaker faces 20 charges, including murder, multiple charges of rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice. Some of the charges date back to 2016.
Speaking outside court, Tazne’s parents were devastated by yet another postponement of the trial.
Her father, Terence Manuel, said it was unacceptable that his daughter’s case kept being postponed.
“I am deeply upset about this,” he said.
Manuel said it was as if Pangaker’s feelings were more important than those of a grieving family.
Tazne’s mother, Carmen van Wyk, said: “They ask him (Pangaker) questions. If he says it’s fine, then so be it. But we don’t get told anything.
“Our child was taken away. A family is in mourning.”
Van Wyk said no one could tell them why the case was being continually postponed.
“It just gets postponed and we must just accept it. We have to wait a whole year now,” Van Wyk said.
Manuel said: “I cannot even sleep properly at night. I could not sleep for this whole year, so now, another year. Now what?
“They all sleep nicely in their warm beds, with security. What do they think of us?” Manuel asked.