Eight-year-old Reagan Gertse, who was allegedly murdered by a man who was out on parole, is expected to be buried in the rural town of Tulbagh in the Western Cape on Saturday. He is one of at least four children killed in just over a month either by a parolee or caught in gang violence in the province.
His body was found in bushes on a riverbank in Tulbagh on Sunday last week.
58-year-old Jakobus Petoors, who was released on parole in November 2019, has been charged who Gertse’s murder.
The child murders prompted Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola to call an urgent meeting of senior parole board officials this week.
In the videos below, Minister Ronald Lamola highlights data management as one of the flaws in South Africa’s parole system.
Billy Claassen of the Rural and Farm Worker Development Organisation says child murders in the province are shocking.
“This thing is getting out of hand and we ask the president for a presidential crime Imbizo for the Western Cape to discuss these issues and come up with solutions to tackle this crime in the Western Cape.”
The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that Petoors was out on parole when he allegedly murdered the child.
NPA spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, says the courtroom had to be cleared on more than one occasion as community members tried to attack the suspect, who remains in custody. Ntabazalila says the matter was postponed without the accused being present.
“He is charged with the abduction, rape and murder. His case has been postponed to the second of June 2020 for further investigation and for DNA. The community was upset. In fact, the court case on its own started late because they had to manage the crowd. And when the accused was brought into court, there were attempts to reach him.”
Last week the appearance of another parolee, Moehydien Pangaker in connection with the murder of seven-year-old Tazne van Wyk, caused outrage with President Cyril Ramaphosa admitting that there is something wrong with South Africa’s parole system.
In the video below, Tazne van Wyk’s family says her murder could have been prevented.
