WATCH: Crowd turns on Courtney's mom over 'affair with accused'

INCENSED: Police officers block angry residents as Mortimer Saunders, who is accused of killing Courtney Pieters, leaves the Goodwood Magistrate's Court yesterday. Picture: BHEKI RADEBE

INCENSED: Police officers block angry residents as Mortimer Saunders, who is accused of killing Courtney Pieters, leaves the Goodwood Magistrate's Court yesterday. Picture: BHEKI RADEBE

Published May 24, 2017

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Slain three-year-old Courtney Pieters’ mother has denied any involvement in killing her daughter after rumours surfaced that she was having an affair with the man charged with the little girl’s rape and murder.

Juanita Pieters, 42, spoke freely when the Cape Times visited her at her home in Elsies River yesterday just after an angry crowd baying for her blood had dispersed.

“I have no idea how I am going to get over the death of my daughter. Just last night (Tuesday) I was in the kitchen and I heard her crying. I still hear her calling ‘mommy’.

“This is really tough for me, and people spreading rumours of my involvement in Courtney’s killing and having an affair with Mortimer are untrue. He and I hardly got along,” Pieters said.

The police had to escort Courtney’s parents out of the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court yesterday after protesters threatened to attack the couple.

Family spokesperson Roegshanda Pascoe said a group of people who attended the court proceedings later gathered at the Elsies River house “wanting to attack Juanita”.

The angry mob called on Juanita to come out of her Pluto Street home.

“I arrived late at court, but when I did I saw a group of people standing outside court threatening to hurt Juanita. There was a specific lady instigating the aggression outside court and I decided to stay outside instead of going into the courtroom,” Pascoe said.

“These people wanted Juanita to speak to them outside and demean herself by thanking them for helping during the search.

“However, by the same token, people now also want to know exactly what the family received as donations so far,” Pascoe said.

The family of murder and rape accused Mortimer Saunders has appointed private attorney Tanya Nöckler and the case has been postponed to August 24 for further investigation by police.

Saunders has been ordered to remain in custody.

Courtney went missing May 4 and was found after nine days in a shallow grave in Bofors Circle, Epping Industria.

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