'Give him the death penalty'
09/03/2007 09:09  - (SA)  

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Pretoria - Several hundred protesters dressed in pink tops and jeans gathered outside the Pretoria Magistrate's Court shortly after the morning rush hour on Friday.

The pink-tops-and-jeans protest against children becoming victims of crime was organised by The Pink Ladies in conjunction with eblockwatch.

Seven-year old Sheldean Human, found murdered in the city this week, was dressed in a pink top and jeans when she went missing on February 18.

Placards among the crowd calling for the death penalty.

One placard read: "Gee hom doodstraf of vir die publiek." (Give him the death penalty or give him to the public).

Dangling from the placard was a pink shirt and a pair of denim pants, similar to those worn by Sheldean.

Another placard carried by a man blowing a vuvuzela read: "Mr Mbeki: Hang the bastard, please!!!"

Other placards displayed hangman's nooses.

The majority of the crowd was white Afrikaans speakers, although a vocal black contingent contributed by toyi-toying and singing the national anthem and ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma's trademark song "Umshini wami."

Professional athlete and Olympic medallist Llewellyn Herbert joined the call for re-instating the death penalty.

Also wearing a pink shirt and jeans, Herbert said: "We are sick and tired of crime. The death penalty should definitely come back. Criminals are sitting in jail and we pay for their meals every day."

He asked what could be going though the mind of a person "who was so sick they could kill a 7-year old girl".

"Why?" he asked.

Also among the crowd were Neels and Madeleine Kruger, whose two daughters attend Laerskool Tuinrand where Sheldean was a pupil.

"It could have been one of our children," said Neels, who was able to attend the protest because he works night shift.

"He's deadly sick," added Madeleine, who took off work to attend the protest.

Many placards were Pretoria News posters, taken from lamp posts and reading: "Who will protect our children?"

The suspect in the murder, Andrew Jordaan, 25, who pointed out to police where Sheldean's body was hidden, was expected to apply for bail.

He was the last person to be seen with Sheldean, and faces charges of kidnapping and murder.