Blue Downs buzzed with excitement yesterday as the parents of Tazne van Wyk hosted a community party to celebrate what would have been her 10th birthday.
The meisie who made national headlines after she was snatched from her Ravensmead home and killed, was honoured by her parents along with the help of Ward councillor Beverley van Reenen who handed out food and party packets.
Parents Carmen van Wyk and Terence Manuel say while they have been left traumatised by the murder of their child, they wanted to do something special to honour her memory.
“It’s been two years now and Tazne would have been 10 years old today. She always looked forward to her birthday and we wanted to do something special to honour her memory,” says Carmen.
“It has been a long road and very difficult for us but we wanted to do something special so I contacted Beverley and she helped us.
Van Reenen arrived at their home with over 200 bakkies of chicken akni and party packets which were handed out to children and adults.
“I have become very close to this family and in the spirit of Mandela month, I thought it was a great idea to do something to honour Tazne’s memory,” she says.
“So we donated over 200 punnets of chicken akni and lekker party packets.
“There were so many people and they were very excited but it was also a nice way for the family to be introduced to their new community and I addressed the residents so that they can help support them.”
Tazne’s parents were dealt another blow in May when her murder trial was moved to next year due to a backlog at the Western Cape High Court created by the lockdown.
The trial of alleged killer, Moehydien Pangaker, was set down for 16 May 2022.
The Grade 3 pupil from Eurecon Primary School went missing on 7 February 2020 when she was snatched just metres from her home in Clare Street, Ravensmead.
Hundreds of mense helped search for the girl and police launched a manhunt for Pangaker, after a neighbour revealed that he had disappeared at the same time.
He was later arrested in Cradock in the Eastern Cape and while on his way to Cape Town, he told cops where to find Tazne’s body.
The body of the eight-year-old meisie was found dumped in a stormwater drain in Worcester and it was later revealed that her hand was sawed off.
Pangaker faces 20 charges which include rape, murder, sexual assault, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice dating back to 2016.