Johannesburg - Two women accused of binding and gagging a toddler at a crèche in Rosettenville appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Monday.
The matter was postponed to July 1 for disclosure.
Crèche owner Labeeba Truter and her employee Nomthandazo Majeke are out on bail of R3 000.
Truter and Majeke sat on separate sides of the courtroom and made no eye contact or conversation when they entered the dock.
Truter, dressed in black, wore black thigh-high boots and gold chains, rings, and bracelets. Majeke was plainly dressed in jeans and a hooded top.
While being followed by a Sapa journalist, Truter stopped walking, turned around, shouted expletives and promised to beat the journalist up.
She was accompanied by another woman.
“You stop f*****g following me... I will f*****g beat you up,” Truter shouted while pointing her finger in the journalist's face.
The woman accompanying her then told the journalist she would open a harassment case against the reporter if she did not stop following them as they had nothing to say.
The two then left the court discreetly with scarves covering their heads and faces.
The women have been charged with assault and child abuse, after a video of a 21-month-old toddler gagged and bound went viral.
The Petite Bumper Daycare came under the spotlight in early April when the Daily Sun reported that the toddler had been tied up in a bathroom at the crèche, allegedly by Truter, so that she could watch television.
The child was recorded, allegedly by Majeke, and in the video she tries to free herself by moving around on the floor until she gets stuck between the toilet and the wall.
Truter told the Daily Sun she was aware of the incident but had not reported it to the police.
She claimed she was not responsible for the abuse and she did not know it constituted child abuse. - Sapa