Sleepover murder: 13-year-old Thimna Kuze court case postponed to 2025

The Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court has postponed the court case involving 13-year-old Thimna Kuze.

The teen was allegedly killed on 25 March 2023 during a sleepover at her friend’s house in the Western Cape.

“On the 25th of March this year, Thimna was sleeping over at a friend’s house and was found dead a day later in a shack with blood in her nose, mouth and groin area. It is believed that she was raped before she was killed,” said Action Society coordinator, Kaylynn Palm.

According to provincial police spokesperson warrant officer Joseph Swartbooi, the 32-year-old male was arrested and held by the Khayelitsha Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit on 13 April 2023, on suspicion of sexual assault.

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The court scheduled the suspect’s bail hearing for allegedly raping and killing Kuze in Khayelitsha on 25 March 2023, but the hearing was later postponed to August of that year.

Court appearances

The court pushed the trial’s start date to 21 January 2025.

This has delayed justice for Kuze’s family, who have already endured a lengthy trial.

Speaking to The Citizen, Action Society said the postponement was for the accused to appoint a new lawyer to represent him.

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Limpopo man arrested for sexual assault of children

Furthermore, the Limpopo Social Development Member of the Executive Council (MEC) Florence Radzilani expressed her outrage on 18 November following the sexual assault of two minors aged three and four from Mafukani village in the Vhembe District.

According to the department’s spokesperson Joshua Kwapa, Radzilani reacted with deep anger.

“This appalling crime is a stark reminder of the urgent need for our society to come together to protect our children and ensure that such atrocities are met with the full force of the law,” said Radzilani.

According to South African Police Services (Saps), the mother of one of the children saw her daughter walking into the bush and followed her.

She allegedly found her with the other child and observed the suspect sexually assaulting one of the children. She confronted the suspect and he fled the scene.

The victims reported that they had been sexually assaulted and were taken to the nearest clinic, where medical staff confirmed penetration.

South African Police Service investigators traced, apprehended, and arrested the 22-year-old suspect, who then appeared before the Mutale Magistrate’s Court on 18 November 2024.

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