Mom says she met accused a few times before Khayelitsha twin's abduction

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Cape Town - The bail application of accused baby snatcher Karabo Tau continued at the Bellville Magistrate’s court on Monday with the mother of the abducted twin taking the stand. Clad in a peach-coloured blouse and matching denim pullover and skirt, 29-year-old Asanda Tiwane appeared calm, but when the State prosecutor asked whether she was still waiting for her baby, she could not control her tears. Tiwane began by confirming that she knew the accused and that she had come to the family home three times and said she was sure that she was the social worker who identified herself as Monica. She said the accused initially approached the family on Friday, January 10, when she took her and the twins to Harare police station to complete an affidavit, leaving her 2-year-old son with his father. However, Tiwane said they could not write the affidavit because the accused told her the police station was full. On the second day of her visit Tau took the family to Mitchells Plain. Tiwane said the accused did not write the affidavit but instead made copies of the father’s CV as she promised she was going to get him employed as a security guard.

On Thursday, January 16, the day the child was abducted, Tiwane said the accused called her in the morning to inform her that she was going to be late and that they should be ready. When she eventually arrived at around 2pm they took a taxi to Parow via Site C. Tau carried one of the twins. The accused apparently paid for all the taxi fares.

“When we arrived at Parow, next to the stalls she said I should in the meantime go to buy cool drinks, while she went to post something at the Post Office.

“She took the other twin with her,” she said.

However the accused’s defence maintained that Tau was still at school at the time the baby was snatched and produced video footage that apparently showed her leaving the school premises at 3pm.

The defence rejected the footage, arguing that “it might not be reflective of the actual evidence” and that they had no opportunity to test it. After the court adjourned a verbal spat ensued between the supporters of both families, with the complainants supporters shouting for the Tau family to “bring back the baby”.

The bail application was postponed to February 4, while Tau remained in custody.

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