The man accused of raping and murdering a South African teenager made his first appearance at the Wynberg magistrate’s court in Cape Town on Tuesday.

Leonard Mzingeli, 25, from the Siyangena Informal Settlement in Philippi has been charged with murder of 17 year old Amahle Quku whose naked body was found in a grassy spot on Saturday morning.

Quku was reportedly raped, but authorities have not confirmed this.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Eric Ntabazalila confirmed the court appearance and said more charges might be added later.

The court postponed the matter to July 7, when Mzingeli is set to make a formal bail application.

Earlier on Tuesday, hundreds of Quku’s peers and teachers took to the streets in front of Sinethemba high school, demanding justice for the grade 11 student and expressing anger over the recent spate of violent killings of women and children in South Africa.

The leadership of the South African Youth Council (SAYC) in Western Cape province attended the court hearing, and also called for justice in instances of violence against women.

“Since the news broke out, SAYC Western Cape has comforted the family and the community of Siyahlala informal settlements,” provincial secretary Zuko Mndayi said.

“Consistent with our message, we call for the case to be handed to an SAPS (South African Police Service) commissioned task team so that it gets resolved quicker and for the suspect to not be granted bail.”

“We also reiterate the demand for psychological relief for the family as espoused by the ministerial six point plan against gender-based violence,” Mndayi added.

Source: ANA