Johannesburg - A high-profile visit to the family of the murdered Eldorado Park teenager whose body was found on Sunday ended in a screaming match where the MEC for Community Safety was sworn at.
Faith Mazibuko and police officers had arrived at the home of Sandy Maharla’s family this morning to offer their condolences and to update them on the status of investigations into Sandy’s murder.
After the meeting, just as the MEC was leaving, a man arrived at the flat and sat down near Sandy’s mother, demanding to know what was going on. Sandy’s mother is married to another man.
The man, Marvin Steenkamp, said he was Sandy’s biological father and that he worked for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
When Mazibuko accused him of harassment, Steenkamp began shouting back at her: “I’m the father, I’m the father!”
Mazibuko then told Steenkamp: “You are out of order. As much as you are the biological father, you have no right to harass the family and the police.”
As the screaming match continued, the two pointed fingers at each other. The exchange grew more heated and some people tried to pull Mazibuko away but she was having none of it.
Another relative, Jocelyn Balston, joined in, coming to Steenkamp’s defence and trying to pull Mazibuko away, yelling at everyone present to “f*** off”.
“F*** you, whoever you are,” she shouted at Mazibuko, as she threw everyone out of the flat.
Speaking outside after the confrontation, Mazibuko, who appeared unfazed, said she was going to get a restraining order against Steenkamp to ensure that he could not harass the family or interfere with investigations.
She said it was obvious from the man’s behaviour that he was abusive, which must have been why Jennifer Marie, the murdered girl’s mother, had left him.
“He just arrived, raising his voice saying he wants answers and swearing at me.
“He said he works for the NIA and thinks that just because he said so, everything will get sorted out just like that. We are saying don’t come here and think just because you work for the NIA you are better off instead of working with the police. If he was a responsible father why was he not staying with his daughter ensuring she was safe? He just comes and wants to create drama.”
A man arrested for the murder was scheduled to appear in the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning.
The Star