CapeTown - A 25-year-old man accused of raping and killing 93-year-old Cynthia Doubell from Bellville South has abandoned his bail application.
Keegan Samuels made his second appearance at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Thursday where the matter was postponed to October 20.
Meanwhile, outside the court family members and civil society organisations held a demonstration calling for his bail to be denied.
Bishop Lavis Action Community representative Amanda Davids said that what happened to Doubell was widespread in communities, however it was not often talked about.
“With a lot of households headed by elderly women looking after the youngsters, communities should do more to protect these vulnerable citizens. As a community we need to start stand up when someone notices something wrong is happening.
“There also needs to be harsher sentences for perpetrators of such crimes, and bail conditions need to be amended because when these people are granted bail they tend to commit other crimes. In fact most of these rape perpetrators are people already out on parole or on bail,” she said.
Davids said communities should reintroduce active street committees.
Doubell’s granddaughter Aneeqah said it had been a horrible 19 days for the family, with other members struggling to sleep as they could not come to terms with what had happened.
“It's a crippling feeling for a family to think all these things were done by someone whom she took in, cared for deeply and regarded as a son. I cannot believe that my brother’s girlfriend’s son did what he did, these are the people that my grandmother fought for even when the family spoke against him.
“It’s devastating to think that you would take care of people and they would do anything to hurt you. We hope that the justice system does not fail us like thousands of other families.
“It hurts to think that the perpetrator is still alive, I believe the justice system should go back to life for a life sentence, and I don't think people realise what that means until they are directly affected,” she said.
Doubell said Samuels admitted to everything except sexually assaulting Cynthia, and added that the family was waiting for the DNA results.
“She was an honourable woman until the bitter end, she must have left in a horrible way, but with honour, which is what I have to console myself with,” she said.
Samuels will remain in custody.