Trial postponed again: Malalane attorney to return to court in June
Lowvelder reports this follows after Janse van Rensburg's D-Day for trial had to be postponed on February 17 when the recording devices at Malalane Periodical Court had technical issues. Magistrate Jacob Mamabolo then postponed the hearing to April 24 and 25.
On April 10, Janse van Rensburg wrote to State Prosecutor Tobie Steyn and said: 'As noted, there are many public and school holidays in that period. It is my father's birthday April 23. I kindly request that if there is any issue that might hinder the proceedings that I am advised in order to spend the first birthday with my father since my studies (2003) and the first ever birthday where my children can spend it with their grandfather. I will preliminarily book the flights for our return on April 23, but it would be highly appreciated if we can extend it with the benefit of the extra days. My last visits to Port Elizabeth were for my mother's passing July 2021 and my father's second heart bypass February 2024.'
After having obtained Magistrate Jacob Mamabolo's approval, the case was postponed by agreement between the parties Monday at the Malalane Periodical Court.
Her legal representative, Adv Hennie van Rensburg, also withdrew from the case. In a note to Steyn, he wrote: 'Due to non-compliance and receiving no instructions from Mrs J van Rensburg. I hereby withdraw from the case as legal representative. I am not in a position to continue due to lack of instructions, co-operation and a breach of trust envisages failing that the matter should continue on the dates agreed upon, being April 24 and 25. Unless I receive direct instructions within the next 48 hours, I withdraw indefinitely.'
On Monday, Janse van Rensburg was back at the Malalane Periodical Court and informed the court that Adv van Rensburg would once again be representing her.
The court informed Janse van Rensburg that they could not accept her word about the reinstatement of her legal representative and instructed her to have Adv van Rensburg formally let them know whether he was going to appear on her behalf.
The case was postponed to June 25.
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
Read original story on www.citizen.co.za
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
16 hours ago
- The Citizen
Public trust in SAPS falls to lowest levels in 27 years, survey shows
Public trust in SAPS falls to lowest levels in 27 years, survey shows The allegations levelled against senior national police executives by KZN provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi have caused the SAPS' public trust to dip. Zululand Observer reports that research released last Friday by the Human Sciences Research Council's South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS) shows trust levels have remained relatively low – and not once in 27 years have more than half the adult public trusted the police. This suggests the issue of police legitimacy is by no means new. From 1998 to 2010, the average level of trust in the police was relatively static, ranging between 39% and 42%. This was followed by a sharp decline between 2011 and 2013, after the Marikana massacre in August 2012. Confidence had almost returned to the 2011 level by the 2015 survey. The 2016–2020 period was characterised by modest fluctuations between 31% and 35%. The hard lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic, which included instances of police brutality in enforcing lockdown regulations, appears to have further dented confidence, based on the 2020 survey results. In 2021, public trust in the police dipped to an all-time low of 27%, reportedly linked to the July 2021 social unrest in KZN when many criticised SAPS' poor performance. This was followed by a further 5% drop to 22% in 2022, with 2023 and 2024–25 confidence levels almost unchanged, possibly reflecting rising rates for certain crimes. The 2022, 2023 and 2024–25 figures are the lowest recorded in 27 years. The full report and figures can be accessed here. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
16 hours ago
- The Citizen
Two police constables shot dead in suspected love triangle in KZN
A suspected love triangle within the police ranks ended in tragedy on Thursday night when two Gamalakhe police constables were gunned down outside a home in Port Shepstone. The victims, a 34-year-old male officer and his girlfriend, were reportedly sitting in the man's car outside his house when the mother of his child, also a constable at the Port Shepstone police station, allegedly opened fire at them. Both victims later died at Murchison Hospital, The Witness reports. The incident happened in the Mbayimbayi location, Murchison, Ugu district. A police source said the man was taken to hospital with multiple gunshots while his girlfriend escaped the scene, but was later found nearby by a neighbour and was also taken to hospital where they both died. 'When the man's brother heard gunshots, he rushed out to check and saw his brother being shot at by the mother of his child, who is also a police constable stationed at Port Shepstone police station,' said a police source. 'The suspect was then traced and found in possession of her service pistol without the magazine.' Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed the arrest of a constable in connection with the murders. 'Police in Port Shepstone have arrested a police Constable in connection with the murders of a fellow Constable who is believed to be the father of her child, and another Constable, suspected to be his girlfriend at Murchison location in Mbayimbayi area on Thursday night,' Netshiunda said. 'It is reported that the suspect went to a residence where she found her baby daddy with another woman and opened fire at both of them before leaving the scene of the crime. Both victims were declared dead upon arrival at hospital. The suspect was arrested on Friday and is expected to appear in court on Monday, 21 July 2025,' he said. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
17 hours ago
- The Citizen
Fatal hit-and-run leaves man dead in Linden
A case of culpable homicide will be opened at the Linden SAPS following a fatal hit-and-run in Linden on the evening of July 17 at the corner of 1st Avenue and 8th Street. When JMPD officers arrived at the scene, they found an unknown pedestrian who had sustained fatal injuries. 'The body was subsequently removed and transported to the Hillbrow Mortuary,' said JMPD superintendent Xolani Fihla. Read more: Alleged Metro cops killer tells court he was assaulted by Metro police officers He explained that, based on the preliminary investigation, JMPD can attest that this was a hit-and-run incident. 'An unknown vehicle, travelling from south to north along 1st Avenue, drove over the pedestrian, and failed to stop at the scene.' The victim, a male, was carrying no form of identification with him. Fihla said that, at this time, it is unknown if the victim was a displaced person. 'This will likely be determined as part of the ongoing investigation and identification process.' Hit-and-run incidents present several significant challenges for JMPD. Fihla highlighted them as being: Without the vehicle or driver present, identifying the perpetrator becomes much more difficult. Witnesses may not have seen critical details, or there may be no witnesses at all. Evidence left at the scene, such as vehicle debris or tire marks, can be minimal or degraded. This often requires extensive investigation by the police, including reviewing CCTV footage, public appeals, and following up on anonymous tips. Determining if the driver was aware they had struck someone can be complex. Due to the victim not having any identification, their family has not yet been notified. This is an ongoing investigation, and more information will be provided as it becomes available. Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
