Protesters carrying placards gathered outside the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court where the four men arrested in connection with the death of Tokai teenager Franziska Blöchliger were to make their second appearance on Friday.
A large banner was hung on a fence outside the court bearing the words: “#Zero Tolerance – Sinoxolo & Franziska”.
Sinoxolo Mafevuka was a Khayelitsha teenager whose lifeless‚ half-naked body was found with her head shoved into a toilet bowl on March 2.
One protester’s poster read “We want justice for Franziska”‚ another said “Enough is enough‚ no bail!” and “Real men don’t rape and kill”.
The men were charged with murder‚ rape‚ robbery with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of stolen property when they appeared in the same court a week ago.
Residents of Westlake and Tokai who packed the public benches in Court 6 last week gasped when prosecutor Kepler Uys announced the rape charge and said traces of semen had been found at the scene‚ and an orderly asked them to be quiet when Uys said there were also indications of anal rape.
The suspects‚ aged between 22 and 27‚ cannot be named until they have pleaded to the rape charges. The father of one of them is a warder at Pollsmoor Prison‚ next to Tokai forest.
One of the suspects had asked magistrate Hafeeza Mohamed if he could be held at Pollsmoor Prison‚ rather than in the Wynberg police cells‚ saying the police did not feed him enough‚ he had no toothpaste or facecloth and he was not allowed visitors.
Remanding him to the police cells‚ Mohamed assured him he would get water‚ soap‚ shampoo in the cells.
Uys said Franziska‚ 16‚ from Muizenberg‚ was jogging in Tokai forest on Monday afternoon when she was killed. Her iPhone‚ watch‚ headset and diamond ring were among items stolen from her.
The four accused were arrested in Westlake on Tuesday evening after Franziska’s stolen iPhone was activated in the area‚ allegedly when a man negotiating to buy it asked for proof that it was working.
When police arrived‚ community members pointed out known criminals they suspected of being involved in trying to sell the cellphone.
Two men‚ aged 21 and 26‚ appeared in the in the Khayelitsha Magistrates’ Court on murder and rape charges related to Mafevuka’s killing..
They were remanded until next Thursday for the police to determine whether they have any pending cases or previous convictions.
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