Load shedding causes delay in Khayelitsha twin abduction case

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Cape Town - Rotational load shedding has thrown a spanner in the bail application of alleged baby snatcher Karabo Tau, and resulted in a postponement on Tuesday. Shortly after 18-year-old Tau entered a packed courtroom in the Bellville Magistrates' Court, magistrate Charles Scott said: “The matter was set down for continuation of your bail application. However, due to the load shedding, the court has lost more than an hour. “Load shedding will continue tomorrow and indications are that it won’t continue on Thursday. There is a big generator at the back of the court which is not working. The matter is therefore postponed to Thursday afternoon at 2pm.” The Claremont High School matriculant is accused of kidnapping two-month-old twin Kwahlelwa Tiwane last month in Parow. Tau faces a charge of kidnapping and it's the prosecution's submission that the learner posed as a fake social worker when she allegedly kidnapped the baby. According to the investigating officer Solomzi Ngunda, the kidnapping happened at about 2pm on January 15.

However, the accused's lawyer Sulaiman Chotia has dismissed these claims and contends his client was at school at the time of the alleged abduction.

The learner’s teacher was ready to take the stand on Tuesday and tell the court that Tau was in school on the day in question. Another teacher who downloaded the CCTV footage showing the accused leave the school after 3pm, was also ready to present this critical piece of evidence.

The two educators are expected to take the stand on Thursday to share this evidence in court. Leon Fieties, representing the second accused in the matter Elly Kubunda, also attended the proceedings.

The drama continued outside when two groups - one consisting of learners and friends supporting Tau, and the other in support of the Tiwane family - had a stand-off in the street.

Nomvoselelo Nodidwa, speaking on behalf of the group supporting the Tiwane family said: “At this moment the proceedings are all about Karabo and nothing is said about the child. We want to ask the law to please bring back the child."

The bail application will continue on Thursday.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The drama continued outside when two groups - one consisting of learners and friends supporting Tau, and the other for the Tiwane family - had a stand-off in the street. Video: Vincent Cruywagwen/Cape Argus

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