Parents of children who died after being operated on by Peter Beale welcome start of trial

JOHANNESBURG - The parents of children who died after being operated on by murder-accused paediatric surgeon, Peter Beale, have welcomed the start of the trial this week after years of delays.

Beale’s been charged with the murder of three children, who all died after he operated on them.

According to the State, he acted recklessly and undertook "unnecessary paediatric surgeries" in an effort to recoup money he had lost on a tanked investment.

Peter Beale was first arrested in December 2019.

Three years and multiple postponements later, the trial finally got underway in the High Court in Johannesburg on Monday, with Beale pleading not guilty and another paediatric surgeon taking the stand as the State’s first witness.

The court’s ordered the identities of the children involved and those of their parents be withheld but attorney Sinenhlanhla Mnguni represents the family of one of them.

"Given the lengthy process to have this matter start and the delays in as far as postponements in the previous instances where the matter was due to commence, the parents are quite happy with regards to this matter finally getting on the road and they are looking forward to justice finally being done."

The trial continued on Tuesday and resumes again on Wednesday with the State’s first witness, another paediatric surgeon, still on the stand.