Vlakfontein murder case bail application postponed Chabad House to support seniors for Chanukah
THE Protea Magistrate’s Court in Soweto yesterday postponed a Vlakfontein murder case after one of the accused, Ernest Mabaso, reported sick.
The Vlakfontein case saw the bodies of four children and three adults found buried at their home in southern Joburg in October.
Mabaso, 27, and Fita Khupe, 61, are applying for bail on seven counts of murder, as well as theft. Mabaso is also facing three additional charges of rape.
Yesterday, Mabaso’s lawyer, Radasi Sekgatja, told the court that his client was sick and could not continue with the bail application.
Last week, Mabaso told the court that he was forced by Khupe to rape the children before he killed them.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges and said his family could afford R5000 bail.
Mabaso is a South African who was born in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, and holds a diploma in teaching obtained from the University of North West in 2012. The court heard that he was not employed at the time of his arrest.
Mabaso had previously indicated he would be abandoning his application for bail.
However, he later opted to submit a formal application that led to the matter being postponed.
The matter will continue today, and the pair will remain in custody.
African News Agency (ANA)
JOBURG’S Jewish seniors are enjoying the eight-day Chanukah holiday.
Chabad House will host their annual Seniors Chanukah Extravaganza and menorah distribution programme during this festive family holiday, as many of them experience a sense of isolation.
“Our goal is to make them feel involved, to strengthen pride in their Jewish heritage and to encourage them to revel in the holiday of Chanukah and most importantly to let them know that they’re not forgotten,” said Rabbi Ari Kievman.
Chabad will have available readyto-go Chanukah kits, which include a menorah, candles, dreidel and holiday “how-to” guide. This initiative is sponsored by Chabad House-Miracle Drive as part of their holiday awareness campaign. The Chanukah Extravaganza was to take place today at Chabad House, 27 Aintree Avenue in Savoy from 11.30am.
“It will be a fun-filled event with a full-course delicious lunch served, an olive oil press interactive workshop, fabulous entertainment, a dreidel tournament, as well as a special video presentation,” said Kievman.
For those who are unfamiliar with Chanukah – the Festival of Lights – it recalls the victory more than 2 000 years ago of a militarily weak but spiritually strong Jewish people over the mighty forces of a ruthless enemy that had overrun ancient Israel and sought to impose restrictions on the Jewish way of life by prohibiting religious freedom and forcing the Jewish people to accept a foreign religion.
“During the occupation of Jerusalem and the Temple, the Syrian Greeks desecrated and defiled the oils prepared for the lighting of the menorah, which was part of the daily service in the temple, and rendered them unfit for use. Upon recapturing the Temple, the Jewish people found one lone jar of undefiled oil, enough to burn only one day, but it lasted miraculously for eight days until new, pure olive oil was produced. Ever since, in commemoration of this event, the Jewish people African News Agency (ANA) celebrate Chanukah for eight days by lighting an eight-branched candelabra known as a menorah,” explained Kievman.
The menorah is placed on a window or a doorpost facing the outside in order to publicise the miracle, with its message of hope and religious freedom, to all. “Today, to people of all faiths, the Chanukah holiday serves as a symbol and message of the triumph of freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter, of light over darkness,” said Kievman.