Jub Jub trial set for October

2010-07-30 11:33

Johannesburg - Five days in October have been set down for trial in the murder case against Molemo "Jub Jub" Maarohanye and co-accused Kenneth Tshabalala.

Maarohanye and Tshabalala appeared in the Protea Magistrate's court on Friday.

They face four murder charges after allegedly drag racing with their two Mini Coopers in March this year which left four schoolchildren dead.

The case was delayed as Tshabalala was late.

Before entering the dock, a fluish Maarohanye sat in the public gallery blowing his nose. A family member sat behind him with a roll of toilet paper on her lap, occasionally handing him a sheet.

The case would run from October 18 to 22 in the same court.

Pandemonium had previously broken out at court appearances with protesters and families making death threats against Maarohanye.

Emotions still fresh

However no protesters were present on Friday.

A victim's family spokesperson, Thabo Mpesi, told reporters outside court that some of the families had managed to come to terms with what had happened but for others the accident was still fresh in their minds.

"Some emotions are still running high and they are finding it difficult to recover.

"We are of the view that reconciliation is necessary and although what has happened is sad, life has to continue," said Mpesi.

Mpesi was also a trustee for Parent in Action Trust (PIAT) which was set up for the victims’ families after the incident.

"The trust was set up because once the dust has settled down the families will be in need of support and aftercare services."

Road safety campaign

PIAT hoped to run several campaigns on road safety issues.

"We need to begin to change attitudes when it comes to road safety. It cannot just be the driver that is accountable, it must also be pedestrians."

He said the trust was set up after the funeral of the four schoolboys and that it had not yet received any funding.

Mpesi said PIAT was preparing a memorial walk in memory, not only of the four schoolboys but for other people killed on South Africa's roads.

He said the walk was also to address the issue of the geometric design of the road in which the accident took place.

Two other schoolchildren were also injured at the time of the incident.
 

- SAPA