Mother of slain Nathaniel Julies wants justice and police reform
As the resumption of the trial of police officers charged with the murder of Eldorado Park teen Nathaniel Julies draws near, the Julies family has called for rigorous police reform. By
His brutal murder sparked widespread outrage and made international headlines. There were immediate calls for police reform, including adequate police training and even calls for the closure of the Eldorado Park Police Station and axing of the station commander.
Nathaniel Bradley “Lockie” Julies, the slain 16-year-old Eldorado Park teen with Down syndrome, was a victim of what the accused police officers claimed was an accident.
Julies was killed two years ago – on 26 August 2020. Moments before he died, Julies’ younger sister Celine had just returned from looking for him because his family was worried about the commotion and sound of gunfire outside.
Two years after Julies’ murder, the case against the officers, Simon “Scorpion” Ndyalvane, Caylene Whiteboy and Voster Netshiongolo, is set to start afresh. The restart of the trial follows the death of presiding Judge Ramarumo Monama. At the time of the judge’s death, there had been considerable progress in the trial, with more than 20 witnesses already heard.
The accused face charges of murder, possession of prohibited ammunition, defeating the ends of justice and discharging a firearm in public.
However, for Julies’ mother, Bridget Harris, it is not the restart of the trial that bothers her but whether or not she will eventually attain justice. Speaking to from the small shack that she shares with seven of her children, Harris said she was constantly bothered that her son’s death might not yield any necessary reforms in the police.
“It doesn’t matter how many times the law punishes incompetent police – if immediate steps are not taken to implement proper police training in public order policing and general police reform, more innocent lives are at stake,” said Harris. “I want to see a change of attitudes from the police.”
According to Harris, the suspects failed to follow protocol after her son’s death, which she said indicated that the killing was not a mistake. Harris is still livid that the police pleaded not guilty, despite, according to her, an admission that they shot her son.
“It was not a mistake, it wasn’t. They should have sought help in identifying his family,” said Harris.
Harris said the fact that the suspects pleaded not guilty was enough proof that it was not an accident.
“They pleaded not guilty yet they confessed to killing my child. What circus is this? What Mickey Mouse programme is this. How can a person’s life mean nothing?” Harris fumed.
She said what also hurts her to this day is the fact that her son was thrown into the back of the van, injured and alone.
“Because as a mother I would have jumped with him in the back of the van. I would have placed his body on my lap. I would have taken off my coat and covered him until we reached the hospital,” a tearful Harris said.
According to Harris, nothing has changed in Eldorado Park. In fact, according to most residents who spoke to in the same week, things have instead worsened in Eldorado Park, including the crime rate. According to the residents, none of the punitive measures the community demanded at the time have been implemented, including those they requested of the police station.
When asked for comment, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said its involvement in the case extended only as far as the end of its investigations. “The case is now in court and you have to engage the [National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)],” Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said.
Gauteng NPA manager Phindi Mjonondwane reassured the family that the NPA was ready.
“Yes, we are ready to start and have no doubt that the witnesses will be in a position to reproduce their testimonies,” Mjonondwane said.
The case against the accused is set to kick off officially on 3 October.
In the meantime, an unveiling for Julies wass planned for 26 August to mark the two-year anniversary of his death. According to Harris, the unveiling has been made possible by the support of the Patriotic Alliance and a dedicated local pastor.
Harris said what she missed most about her son was his broad, genuine smile.
In September 2020, the three police officers accused of murder made their first appearance in the Protea North Magistrate’s Court. In February last year, it was established that 50 witnesses would testify in the case, which went to trial in the High Court the following month.
According to the NPA, a pre-trial conference kicked off in June. The aim of the pre-trial conference is to determine the state of readiness of the parties and also a disclosure of how many witnesses might be called again, to help determine how long the trial will run.
According to the NPA, the restart of the trial will not compromise the case in any way and will benefit both the state and the defence. However, Harris said she was very concerned that witnesses might testify all over again, which might compromise the credibility of their testimonies. An agreement between the lawyers should determine whether all the witnesses should testify again when the trial begins.
Harris said she planned to bring together everyone in a feast in Julies’ honour because Julies also belonged to the community of Eldorado Park. She said the feast should have happened already but she had failed to raise even a portion of the funds required to pull off a day of remembrance for her son.
“I want every coloured to come together. I want us to celebrate his life and I want everyone to grab something to eat. Because he was way more than just a 16-year-old with Down syndrome,” Harris said.
Harris took a deep breath before tearfully explaining what she saw in her son. “I saw everything,” she said. “I saw a dancer, a pastor. He was totally everything despite being different,” Harris said.
She said all she was praying for was a fair trial that will lead to successful convictions.