Cape Town - Delft and Gugulethu residents protested outside the Bellville Magistrate’s Court, where a man has appeared in connection with the murder of Tania Mbalo, a mother of two.
Her bruised body was found in a blue recycling bag in a field in Delft on June 27. Her family was informed by police of the discovery before they filed a missing person’s report.
On Wednesday, the accused abandoned his bail application and the matter was postponed to September 14 for further investigation. He’s arrest came after he handed himself over to police.
Lawrence Guma, who is an attorney on watching brief for the family said: “The defence has decided at this point not to proceed with the bail application. Because the community is in support of the deceased, it could be strategy to minimise the support and sneak in a bail application.
“The community is standing together and if they continue this way, then it will assist to make the case stronger.”
Family member Vuyiseka Mbalo said it had been difficult to process her cousin’s death.
“I haven’t been dealing with it well, so I haven’t had time to process everything and sit down and deal with my emotions personally because there are children involved,” she said.
Mbalo leaves behind two children aged 3 and 5.
“The family are still unclear about how Mbalo was killed as a postmortem report is yet to be confirmed.
“We don’t exactly know what happened because he hasn’t said anything ... She was smothered and put in a bag and thrown away.”
She said the case was seemingly being dragged but she is pleased the accused remains in custody.
“As long as he is still inside, I feel that it gives us a little bit of hope that something is being done,” she said.
GBV activist Nomathamsanqa Gabada said: “Since we know how the justice system works, we come to court with a number of people doing pickets. This is our voice to the magistrate to hear us that we don’t want this guy outside. We are angry because the justice system is failing us.”