By Thakira Desai

After a week of gruelling searches and the discovery of a body positively identified as missing Courtney Pieters, the family was dealt another blow when police arrested a suspect, said to be a trusted family friend. Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk confirmed that a 40-year-old man was apprehended on Sunday night at Saturn Close, Salberau, Elsiesrivier. He is expected to appear in Goodwood Magistrates Court on a charge of murder once he has been formerly charged.

The little girl’s body was found in a shallow grave in Bofors Circle, Epping Industry over the weekend, after she went missing outside her home over a week ago.

Speaking to VOC’s Breakfast Beat, Elsies River deputy chair, Imraan Mukaddam explained that following a mass search by over 200 neighbourhood watch teams, a neighbourhood watch team from Delft South discovered the body of the little girl. He said the concealed body was discovered in a remote location behind factories in the Epping Industry area, a place that they would have overlooked.

“We must say a big shukran and thank you to the broader Cape Town CPF’s and neighbourhood watchers that mobilised the mass search. We had teams from as far as Hanover Park, Mitchells Plain, Delft and Kraaifontein.”

On Sunday, Pieters’ family members and residents embarked on a peace march to the site where the body was discovered and laid wreaths.  He confirmed that the suspect, who lived in the home of Pieters, was initially held for questioning on the day of her disappearance for up to 24 hours.

“Upon our return from the peace march, we were confronted with a new reality in that the home has now been declared a crime scene and that a suspect is being sort. The suspect was close to the family.”

Mukaddam said the CPF believes that more could have been achieved a lot quicker if law enforcement and neighbourhood watch teams were better coordinated.

In what many have described as shocking, Mukaddam confirms that the suspect participated in the search for Pieters, even sitting amongst residents at Saturday’s vigil where the presiding pastor said “the culprit is right here amongst us and his candles flame will go out.”

“The most disturbing thing that I couldn’t fathom was that the very same suspect was in fact part of the peace march to the scene where the body was found, on Saturday he was standing with a candle at the vigil at the parents’ house and he was part of the search team.”

The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) said social workers have been supporting the family, especially the mother throughout the ordeal. The team will provide trauma and bereavement counselling to the distraught family.

“As we mark International Day of Families today, I’m very concerned at the recent spate of child murders in the province. The common trait amongst the victims is that they happen to be girls and the suspects in the cases have been people who were known and likely trusted by the victims,” said provincial Social Development MEC, Albert Fritz.

“It is tragic that the recent incidents of missing or abducted children, child abuse and murders reveal that for some of our children, life isn’t as care-free and safe as it should be.”

Fritz called on parents and communities to be extra vigilant of their children.

Elsies River residents are in discussions for a march to Parliament to voice concerns about the inadequate role of state agencies in curbing violent crimes perpetrated against children.

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