Paarl residents had to return home frustrated and angry after finding out the two suspects held for four-year-old Tamia Botha’s murder would only appear on Friday.
Nearly 100 Klein Nederburg residents marched to Paarl Magistrate’s Court, set on demanding that the suspects be kept in jail.
But when they arrived, they were told that the alleged killers were only due to appear on Friday.
Tamia was last seen on Sunday afternoon at a street bash close to her home.
She won R10 for being the best dancer in her age group.
When her father Gideon Thys, 37, sent his son to look for the four-year-old, she ran away from him as she was enjoying herself.
The community searched for Tamia that night but could not find her.
Her lifeless body was found inside a sports bag on the rugby field of Nederburg Primary School on Monday afternoon by a pupil.
Cops arrested two suspects aged 37 and 40 on Tuesday night.
“We didn’t even know that there were any arrests until someone alerted the community on Facebook,” Gideon tells the Daily Voice.
“We are not happy with that, we should have been informed before everyone else.
“We don’t know who was arrested.
“When the police came to get my wife and I on Wednesday, people thought we were the two suspects who were arrested because they spent nights patrolling looking for the suspects and they were also not informed.”
Local councillor Leandra Mathee adds: “People are scared for their children and as a result, we have all decided to make fires at night and sit outside the whole night.
“People were also looking for the murderer and they had no clue that there were suspects apprehended.”
Tamia’s hartseer mom Udene says she wants justice for her daughter.
“They must stay in jail,” she demands.
“What they did to us is unforgivable. My older children are very traumatised.
“We have not yet had counselling. Instead we had to go to the police station to give our statements again.
“This is a very deep wound that will never heal.”