Green Acres residential estate in Montana. Picture: Jacques Naude/African News Agency (ANA)
Pretoria - The family of Thembinkosi Thabethe, who was allegedly stabbed to death by a fellow residents at Green Acres estate in Montana, Pretoria, have expressed their gratitude after the the man accused of his murder, Leon Coetzee, was denied bail.
Thabethe’s cousin, Musi Skosana, said the news of the dismissal of Coetzee’s bail application on Friday was a relief to the family because they feared they would be laying Thabethe to rest while Coetzee was at home in the very estate his (Skosana’s) cousin was murdered.
Skosana said they understood Coetzee had the right to bail to allow for a fair hearing, but “it’s just that the timing of the bail issue, (that) was an issue to us”.
Skosana said the family were still distraught and in disbelief, but were satisfied with the proceedings thus far.
Coetzee, 55, is accused of fatally stabbing Thabethe in an altercation in which Thabethe was allegedly the aggressor.
He appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday. He was denied bail in the case in which he is accused of stabbing Thabethe three times outside his house on April 26.
Thabethe died in hospital on May 1.
Thabethe, who also lives at the estate, apparently went to confront Coetzee’s wife about a message addressed to her on the estate’s WhatsApp group.
Coetzee admitted to police to taking a knife out of his home after Thabethe banged on his gate and then “verbally assaulted” his spouse.
According to Coetzee, Thabethe was overly aggressive and shouted: “Come out, white racist bitch.”
He also threatened to kill her.
Thabethe was also accused of assaulting a female neighbour who had gone out to see what the commotion was about. Coetzee’s legal team argued in court that he acted in self-defence, as Thabethe “made threats against his wife” after reading the contentious message on the social media platform.
But Skosana said: “We can’t believe that such a heinous act could happen in this day and age, especially when you have chosen to live in an estate.
“The very place that’s meant to be secure is now unsafe.
“This was surely the worst way in which he could have lost his life, considering how he was a proud Africanist and how he respected and followed his culture.
“What irony, but be that as it may, Thembinkosi was proud of his culture, which doesn’t immediately mean that he despised all other cultures and races.”
He said Thabethe advocated for getting back to his roots. The last conversation they had was at a family funeral where Thabethe was given the responsibility of starting a WhatsApp group and getting the family together.
“He was trusted and responsible and was the glue of the family,” said Skosana.
The case is due back in court in June.
Pretoria News
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