SA Police Service and Ekurhuleni metro police cordoned off the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning ahead of the bail application of a man implicated in the death of four-year-old Taegrin Morris.

At Thamsanqa Twala’s first appearance last week, community members vented their anger and shouted “no bail, no bail”.

Around 8.30am on Friday, however, only a few people were milling about and none appeared rowdy, although several wore T-shirts bearing the child’s face.

Twala was arrested in Katlehong last week and has been charged with murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and the possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Morris died when his parents’ VW Golf was hijacked in Reiger Park on the East Rand in July. Three men approached the car that Morris, his sister, and parents were travelling in and ordered the family out.

The boy was caught in his seat belt and dragged along the road as the hijackers drove off. The car was abandoned in Boksburg.

At his last court appearance, an angry crowd demanded that he reveal who had “placed the order” for the vehicle that he was alleged to have hijacked from the Morris family. SAPA