The grandma of slain 10-year-old Ayesha Kelly broke down on the steps of the Western Cape High Court on Monday, after the case was postponed for the umpteenth time in three years.
The little girl was shot and killed on December 8, 2019 while walking to a tuckshop in Oudekloof Road, Tafelsig in Mitchells Plain.
She was caught in the crossfire of a shootout between rival skollies, the Hard Livings and the Americans.
Cameron Julius and Chadwin Williams were arrested shortly following the murder, after Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the family and called on cops to put shoulder to the wheel.
The Grade 4 Tafelsig Primary pupil, who dreamt of becoming a doctor, would have started her first year in high school this year.
Monday, the matter was postponed because the defence lawyers were not available due to their workload with other cases.
Ayesha’s mother Inshaaf was too emotional to talk on Monday and asked her only daughter’s ouma Fayrooz to talk on behalf of the family.
When finding out that the case had been postponed again, Fayrooz said the family could not get closure and the case was taking a toll on almal: “Every time we need to come to court it feels like that very day we lost Ayesha, it’s a reminder.
“I’ve lost my mother who would have been standing here with a kierie today to show support. But she died not having the strength to deal with this anymore, with all the postponements.”
The ou vrou claimed officials have been making empty promises to the family.
“At our previous appearance we were promised that the trial would start on February 6 and carry on until March, this was in October. Now we are here, ready, excited and prepared and again our faith is being tested, because now we have to wait another five, six months to get justice for our Ayesha,” Fayrooz said.
Community activist Camorin du Plessis said the postponements were unfair to the family: “Attending a case requires you to prepare yourself mentally and spiritually. The system is busy failing this family. They are failing Ayesha. They have the blood of an innocent child on their hands, just as the accused [does], and I hope that her blood stains are on their hands.”
The trial will commence on August 28 and the accused will remain in custody.
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za