6 days ago
Woman accused of running girl over with her car at Zulu ceremony gets R5 000 bail
A 68-year-old woman accused of culpable homicide after running a 14-year-old girl over with her car during a traditional coming-of-age ceremony in Germiston, Gauteng, last month has been released on R5 000 bail.
Martha van der Walt appeared in the Germiston Magistrate's Court after she handed herself over to police on Friday, accompanied by her lawyer, Kineil Muthray.
Muthray told journalists Van der Walt was concerned about public perception and claims that she had deliberately run Pretty Mahlangu over.
The lawyer also said it was unnecessary to have a warrant issued for Van der Walt's arrest.
But the court heard that the warrant was issued after the initial case against Van der Walt was provisionally withdrawn, pending further investigation.
Once investigations were completed, the matter was re-enrolled, resulting in the warrant.
According to the Mahlangu family's spokesperson, Mzwandile Soyaya, the girls who were with Mahlangu at the coming-of-age ceremony, held for Nhlanhla Sithebe, 16, told him that, minutes before the incident, Van der Walt stopped her car near to them.
'She asked why [the girls] were partially dressed, with their breasts not covered. The girls replied they were celebrating their Zulu culture,' Soyaya said.
Then she ran Mahlangu over.
The case returns to court on 20 August.
