President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the parents of Tazne van Wyk at their home in Ravensmead this afternoon, February 25 at 5pm. The eight-year-old went missing on February 7 and was found murdered in Worcester days later.
Pictures of the community gathering outside the family’s house were shared on Twitter:
People gathering outside the home of eight year old Tazne van Wyk ahead of president Cyril Ramaphosa visit #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/K8bS0GCCXD
— Chris Mabuya (@chris_mabuya) February 25, 2020
The crowd awaited the president and applauded him as he stepped into the home of Tazne’s bereaved parents.
HE President @CyrilRamaphosa arrives at the family of the late Tazne Van Wyk pic.twitter.com/Ra1iW71Dew
— Gabriel Seakamela (@GabrielMothiba) February 25, 2020
Some residents expressed their anger with posters pleading for justice and asking “why criminals are taking over the streets and killing our poor children”.
Aubrey Zwelinjini from Crossroads waves his placard outside the tuckshop Tazne van Wyk had been on her way to when she was kidnapped. @TeamNews24 #RIPTazne pic.twitter.com/9qlYZpvclG
— Tammy Petersen (@TammyPetersen87) February 25, 2020
The man arrested for her murder, Moehydien Pangaker, has 11 previous convictions in his name, including being convicted for the murder of his child in 2001. He was out on parole at the time of his arrest for the kidnapping and murder of Van Wyk.
The Ravensmead community and South Africa as a whole are enraged, saying the justice system failed young Tazne and some going as far as calling for capital punishment to be reinstated.
Watch the community express their hurt outside the court where Pangaker appeared on Friday, February 21. His case has been postponed until April 17, and he will remain in police custody until then.
Picture: Twitter/Video screenshot
