Cape Town – Tension ran high outside the Bellville Magistrate’s Court yesterday after alleged child kidnapper Karabo Tau appeared for her bail application.
Supporters of the two families butted heads outside court, with the supporters of missing 2-month-old Kwahlelwa Tiwane calling for Tau to “return the baby”.
Earlier this month, Tau had allegedly approached Asanda Tiwane and her family and promised the mother that she would help them with food vouchers, posing as a social worker named Monica.
Tau allegedly lured Tiwane - who was desperate for financial assistance - to Parow, where she then disappeared with Kwahlelwa.
Yesterday, Tiwane took the stand with her version of events and was adamant that the accused was definitely the woman who took her baby.
Tiwane said Tau approached her on four occasions, the fourth being the day her child was taken.
“She said if I want the food voucher and R1 000 voucher, that we need to make an affidavit at the police station. She paid for the taxi.
"We got to the police station and she said it was full and we must turn back.
“On Thursday she came back and said we must go to Parow and when we arrived, she said she was going to the post office and she gave me money to get cold drinks.
"She had the other baby and she left with him and never came back. To this day I am still waiting for her to come back with my baby,” said a tearful Tiwane.
She took a taxi back to Khayelitsha and reported the incident to police.
Representing Tau, Sulaiman Chotia said his client denied knowing the family and had never set foot in their home.
“There will be witnesses that will say she was with them on the day you said she first met you. There will be witnesses saying she was at school, and even if your time is off by one hour, there is no way she could have gone from Claremont High to your house.”
Chotia also wanted to present evidence to the court that put Tau at school at the time of the abduction, but the prosecution’s Tobinceba Matrose challenged the use of the evidence.
“We have not viewed the evidence that allegedly puts Karabo at school. We were not given the time to investigate it. We would like to challenge it before it comes to court,” Matrose said.
Tau remains in police custody.