Cape Town - The 46-year-old Catherine Wannenburg trembled as she took the stand in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday morning to testify against the woman found guilty of murdering her five-year-old son 11 years ago.
Wannenburg was testifying in aggravation of sentence in the case against the 36-year-old Natasha Hansen.
The softly spoken Wannenburg told the court how she sent her five-year-old son, Gershwin Isaacs, to stay with his biological father, Russel Hansen, and stepmother Natasha several weeks before his death.
Wannenburg said at the time she was unemployed and didn’t have money to look after him. She denied being a drinker and said “I never drank in my whole life.”
On May 28, 2004, the young boy, covered in bruises, was admitted to hospital where he was declared dead.
His stepmother, Natasha Hansen, was found guilty of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, as well as murder in December 2014. During the trial, evidence emerged that she had beaten the boy on a regular basis.
Wannenburg told the court that Hansen and her family had never sympathised with her for her loss, nor had Hansen ever asked for her forgiveness.
The two women avoided eye contact while Wannenburg told the court that Gershwin was her only child and she had not been able to conceive another child after his murder.
Investigating officer Victor Synders also took the stand to testify in aggravation of sentence. He said 28 children under the age of 12 had been murdered in the Western Cape since 2010. He told the court the community expected good service and people who perpetrated such crimes should be sentenced accordingly.
Natasha Hansen was only arrested on December 29, 2004, more than six months after Isaacs died. Since then, Hansen has been out on bail for almost eleven years.
On Monday, a probation officer and a correctional services officer recommended direct imprisonment. They said Hansen had never taken responsibility or shown remorse for the boy’s death.
Outside the high court, Catherine Wannenburg said she missed her son very much. She described him as a very quiet child and said she thought he would be safe with his father and stepmother.
Wannenburg said her son never told her about the beatings and she had no idea that he was being abused.
“She must go to jail, she still has three children, while I have none,” she said.
Final arguments were expected on Wednesday, while sentencing was expected to be delivered on Thursday.
ANA