Johannesburg - A police nyala which was apparently being used as a decoy vehicle crashed into another vehicle outside the Brakpan Magistrate's Court on Monday.
Scores of people were waiting outside one of the court entrances to see the man accused of raping and murdering his four-year-old niece.
However, he was sneaked out the premises through another entrance.
A police nyala which was thought to have been following the vehicle the man was in crashed into another vehicle at an intersection, damaging the front part of the vehicle.
Its driver, Solly Mnguni, was not injured. His wife's elbow was slightly hurt.
“We were just passing and it came speeding out of the gate,” said Mnguni's wife.
Protesters rushed to the scene.
“That's what they get for trying to hide this criminal from us,” said one woman.
“Ja, they are just sneaky, now they must pay,” said another.
Most of those on the scene were wearing pink T-shirts. The girl was wearing a pink T-shirt the day she was killed.
The 23-year-old man accused of killing her wore the same black and grey striped T-shirt he wore to court last week.
He once again avoided making eye-contact with people in the public gallery, looking down at his hands and fiddling with them during the proceedings.
He has now been provided with a legal aid lawyer, Pieter van Niekerk, who indicated that his client had chosen to remain silent and not to apply for bail. He would undergo DNA tests.
The man may not be named until he has pleaded.
The case was postponed to March 13 for further investigation.
Among those at the hearing on Monday was Women, Children and People with Disabilities Minister Lulu Xingwana.
Like many of the protesters, she wore a pink blouse over a pink skirt. - Sapa