It was an emotional farewell to 3-year-old Courtney Pieters on Saturday as residents and supporters lined the streets of Elsies River to salute the toddler.
Her family held a private viewing at their home while residents waited to see her coffin leave her parents' home.
Courtney, her body in a tiny white coffin with a bouquet of white flowers and a pink tiara on top of it, was buried at Modderdam Cemetery. More than 1000 people gathered to say their final goodbyes to the toddler, who was found murdered in a field on May 13 after having been missing for nine days.
Courtney’s parents, Juanita Pieters and Aaron Adonis, clung to their children Andrea, 19, Mickayla, 15 and Adrian, 6, during the service, wearing white and pink in honour of Courtney. Remembered fondly by her eldest cousin Marsha Wenn, Courtney was said to be a shy, withdrawn girl “who wouldn't take anything from anybody”.
“She would always get excited when her mother or father came home from work and would run to them as soon as she heard their voices.
"Although she was shy with others, she was very talkative at home and I was also her target when she wanted to tease somebody,” Wenn said.
Trauma support officer and spokesperson for the family, Roegshanda Pascoe pleaded with the many in attendance to also support the family of the accused, Mortimer Saunders.
He is a friend of the family and lived in the Pieters home for three years.
Saunders was arrested a day after Courtney’s body was found. He faces murder and rape charges.
Community Safety MEC Dan Plato who attended the funeral echoed her sentiments.
“No mother brought her child into this world to become a murderer. We ask that residents pray for this family as they are broken during this time as well,” Plato said.
He urged politicians in attendance to not politicise the matter.
“This is not an ANC or DA thing. This is an ‘everybody’ thing”.