Cape Town - The wheels of justice are moving slowly for three little girls who were murdered in Cape Town just months after one another.
On Friday, the Western Cape High Court’s register had three child murders listed.
The first case was that of Steven Fortune, who is currently at Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital where a mental observation is being conducted on him.
The matter was postponed to April 16 for the outcome of the observation.
Fortune pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, murder and kidnapping for that of Michaela Williams, 12, of New Horizon, Pelican Park.
Fortune, who was Williams’ neighbour, was previously sentenced to 20 years behind bars for the rape and attempted murder of an 8-year-old girl who he lured from her home in Hyde Park to Khayelitsha Cemetery.
The child pretended to be dead after being stabbed and managed to crawl to safety hours later.
The victim, now 24, went to the media after Williams’ murder and said Fortune should never have been set free.
Fortune was granted parole more than two years ago.
He detailed in a plea agreement how he had lured Williams from outside her home, promising he would buy her a cake for her birthday. He stated he had already decided he would rape and kill her while having a conversation with her.
The child had attempted to flee from Fortune as they walked toward Schaapkraal where her body was later been found on a vacant piece of land.
He said he choked her with his hands and that the child had fought back, hitting Fortune in the face until his nose bled.
Fortune added he choked her until she fainted and tied her hands using her own vest before raped her repeatedly.
When Williams regained consciousness, she began to scream.
Fortune said he took her skirt off and strangled her with it before throwing two concrete blocks onto her head and covered her with a blanket and tree branches.
Williams’ family said they did not see the need for Fortune to be sent to a mental institution.
“He knew what he was going to do as he said in his statement so why does he need to be in a mental institution?” said the family.
Another court case was that of Cameron Julius and Chadwin Williams who are charged with the murder of Ayesha Kelly, 10, of Mitchell’s Plain.
Ayesha had been walking to a tuckshop on Oudekloof Road in Tafelsig when she was shot in December 2019.
Pre-trial proceedings are still under way for both Julius and Williams who need to appoint lawyers.
The matter was postponed to May 14.
Eben Basson and Chivargo Fredericks also joined the dock for the murder of Emaan Solomons, 7, of Ocean View.
Emaan had been playing in her front yard on Libra Street when she was shot and killed on February 27 last year.
The matter was postponed to April 30 for Basson to appoint a lawyer.
Families of the slain girls protested outside the courthouse calling for justice.
Weekend Argus