Hope for more arrests for Taegrin murder

Friends and family of murdered four-year-old Taegrin Morris were on Wednesday hopeful that other people involved in his killing would be arrested.

"We are now definitely certain the others, all that was involved, will be arrested," family friend Hein April told reporters outside the Boksburg Magistrate's Court, on the East Rand.

They hoped Thamsanqa Twala, who appeared in the court on Wednesday, would reveal who, April claimed, had "placed an order" to steal the VW Golf Morris was in.

Twala faces charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Morris died when his parents' VW Golf was hijacked in Reiger Park on the East Rand in July. Three men approached the car Morris, his sister and parents were travelling in and ordered the family out.

The boy was caught in his seat belt and dragged along the road as the hijackers drove off. The car was abandoned in Boksburg.

People packed the court room as Twala made his first court appearance.

"We wanted to physically see the guy because it is inhuman that another human being can drag someone for 8km to his death, especially a child," April said.

People murmured among themselves while others rose from their seats to look at Twala when he was brought up from the cells below the court.

"Take a picture of him so we can put it on Facebook, Whatsapp, everywhere," one woman told another next to her.

Another woman got up and made her way to the front of the court, which was largely occupied by journalists. She stood close to the dock and snapped pictures of Twala.

The case was postponed to November 7, when Twala was expected to apply for bail. There were chants of "no bail, no bail" and "genoeg is genoeg" as Twala was led back down to the cells.

Members of the Morris family burst into tears.

"People are angry," April said outside the court. He said Twala did not live in Reiger Park and he had never seen him before.

Police arrested Twala in Katlehong on Tuesday. Colonel Noxolo Kweza said the 32-year-old had been positively identified as one of the hijackers.

Meanwhile, a man allegedly behind the killing of another boy, three-year-old Cuburné van Wyk, was expected to appear in the same court on Thursday.

April called on people to come to court to support the Van Wyk family.

The boy disappeared on August 6 while playing outside with his siblings in Reiger Park. His burnt remains were found at a mine dump three days later.