The heartbroken parents of Tazne van Wyk were left disappointed on Friday after they were locked out of court proceedings as the man accused of murdering their little girl made his third appearance.
After waiting months during the lockdown to hear what exactly led to the death of the eight-year-old from Ravensmead, her parents Carmen van Wyk and Terence Manuel were told by security guards at Goodwood Magistrates’ Court they may not enter.
Accompanied by family, the couple stood eagerly outside the court building shortly before 9am hoping to get a glimpse of her alleged killer Moehydien Pangaker, 54, and information about the progress of the investigation, but were turned away.
When Daily Voice questioned this, the court manager and prosecutor came to the front door and explained the matter had been postponed to 17 August for the completion of the indictment and for the case to be transferred to the Western Cape High Court.
No further explanations were given.
Tazne’s disappearance in February sparked an outcry on the Cape Flats as police launched a massive manhunt for Pangaker, who is accused of snatching the little girl just metres from her home in Clare Street.
Cops caught Pangaker hiding in Cradock where he appeared on kidnapping charges at the Cradock Magistrates’ Court.
While being escorted to Cape Town to face murder charges, he took cops to a drain in Worcester where he allegedly dumped Tazne’s body.
Carmen says on 20 July, Tazne would have celebrated her ninth birthday.
“Every year just before her birthday she would always come and remind us days ahead,” the mom says.
“This year we just sat at home thinking about all the things she would have done and asked for.
“Going to court today, I was hoping to get some answers about what happened to my child.
“When we went to the mortuary, we could only see her face. It was so badly decomposed we couldn’t even recognise her. They had to confirm it using her fingerprints.”
Terence says their lives will never be the same, but they hope they can find some peace in knowing the truth.
“He took the police to where her body was so he knows what happened. It’s very hard for us because sometimes I feel like they are protecting him,” he says.