Family of Ekurhuleni teen run over by car frustrated by slow development of case

JOHANNESBURG - The family of a 13-year-old who died after she was run over by a car during a coming-of-age ceremony in Germiston said the State continued to mismanage the case.

On Friday morning, a 68-year-old woman appeared in court facing a charge of culpable homicide, but was released on bail.

Martha van der Walt was behind the wheel of a car that ploughed into a group of teenagers, killing Pretty Mahlangu in June.

Mahlangu's family said they were not surprised that Van der Walt was released from custody.

They said it was frustrating that almost a month after the tragic incident occurred, there was still little movement in the case.

READ: Pretty Mahlangu family prepared to fight for justice after claims of suspect's preferential treatment

Initially, Van der Walt handed herself over to the police, but she was granted bail.

The case was reportedly provisionally withdrawn, but this week it was placed on the court roll with a warrant of arrest issued for the accused.

Mahlangu family spokesperson, Mzwandile Soyaya, said he suspected foul play, saying the accused may have some influence in the case.

“The reason for the remind it was that further investigations need to be done. There is a shortage of some items in the docket - that is the hospital report, the post-mortem and I think the incident report, of which last when we heard, the matter was not placed on the roll because of those items and now they are coming back to court and those things are still not there."

He said they had always had evidence and witnesses ready, but this had not been considered.