Watch: CCTV camera captures final moments of murdered cousins

10 August 2016 - 08:45 By GRAEME HOSKEN

The image is haunting. Kefilwe Motaung, wearing her favourite pink top, glances over her shoulder at her cousin as she walks off holding the hand of her alleged murderer. Her cousin, Thato Motaung, runs after her moments later.Captured on CCTV cameras in Germiston, the images are the last the children's mothers - sisters Nthabiseng and Refilwe Motaung - have of them alive.The cousins, both eight years old and inseparable since birth, disappeared from the back yard of their home on Sunday.They were bludgeoned to death and their bodies were found hidden under plastic covers in an abandoned building behind the Germiston mortuary on Monday.Kefilwe's pants were pulled down, according to her family.Sitting at the spot where the children last played, grandfather Lelala Motaung repeatedly clasped and unclasped his hands."I keep on thinking that I should have done something to stop this. Maybe I should have been more strict with them. Maybe I should have warned them more about not going off with strangers, but he was not a stranger." The alleged killer was tracked down by family and handed over to police after a shopowner, whose business borders their home, said his CCTV cameras recorded him leaving with the cousins.The children's other grandfather, Lazeras Motaung, said the man lived on the property when doing piecemeal work for them."He's not a stranger. We all know him. We trusted him."He said CCTV footage showed the man talking to the children."Kefilwe walks off with him, but you see Thato does not want to. He keeps on saying something to Kefilwe. It looks like he's shouting at her, telling her to stay, but she does not listen. He's so upset."Time stands still when we watch this video. We want to tell her to stop but we can't."Motaung said the children's mothers were devastated.Police said a 40-year-old man would appear in court today on murder charges...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.