Defence pokes holes in state's case in Jayden-Lee murder trial with Bolt trip timeline evidence
Tiffany Meek, 31, from Fleurhof, accused of killing her 11-year-old son, faces charges of murder, crimen injuria, attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice, and defeating or obstructing the administration of justice.
Meek's legal representative, advocate Noven Naidoo, handed over records of e-hailing service Bolt showing she only left her mother's house at 5:12am on the morning of May 14, contradicting a security guard's statement that Meek entered her residence at 4am and departed at 5am.
According to the records, Meek was picked up at her mother's house and dropped off at the Swazi Place complex at 5:22am, after she allegedly received a phone call informing her that her son's body had been found near the staircase of her house.
Meek's attorney argued that this documented timeline proves Meek could not have been at her residence between 4am and 5am, as claimed in the guard's occurrence book (OB) entries.
In addition to the timeline dispute, the court heard there were discrepancies in the descriptions of what Jayden-Lee was wearing on the day he disappeared. The descriptions provided by the mother, a teacher and the security guard differed.
'My client will state that she helped him get dressed that morning, and he was wearing grey long pants, a white shirt, a tie and black takkies on the day,' Naidoo submitted.
Investigating officer Sgt Linda Duma said he could not comment on what the child was wearing on the day he disappeared because he got the information from the people who had seen Jayden-Lee on the day.
Naidoo also drew the court's attention to inconsistencies in the OB kept at the complex gate.
Copies of the OB for May 13 and 14 presented in court reflected that the first recorded report of Jayden-Lee's disappearance was only made after 8pm on May 13, long after Meek claims she notified the security guard at about 5pm. According to Naidoo, Meek had informed the day shift guard her son was missing, left her contact number and told him to call her if the boy returned. No such entry exists in the OB.
Naidoo questioned why no earlier note was made and pressed the investigating officer on whether pages might be missing. He said on the day Jayden-Lee's body was found, Meek's family had attempted to photograph the OB book and noticed a missing page.
'There is no record of this in the OB,' the investigating officer responded and acknowledged that he did not certify the OB book copies submitted to court, citing a heavy workload.
Questions also emerged around the legality of the security guards. When asked about their immigration status, Duma admitted he did not know, confirming only that they were Congolese nationals. Naidoo pointed out that South African law prohibited undocumented foreign nationals from being employed in the private security industry.
The bail hearing will continue Friday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
'Salty Coffee' Horror: South African doctor struck off UK register for putting semen in woman's drink
A South African doctor who was practising in the United Kingdom has been struck off the medical register with immediate effect after he was found putting his semen in a woman's hot beverages. Nicholas Chapman, a 57-year-old, studied at the University of Cape Town in the Western Cape. The Mirror reported that he conducted the devious conduct at Somerset, England, and was previously sentenced to a community order for a sexual crime after a trial revealed that he had loaded hundreds of 'specimen' samples before putting them into his victim's drinks. The victim reportedly described how, after sipping a salty coffee, she would throw other liquids away, only to discover a 'thick gloopy' material in the sink. "I did not know what it was. I did not suspect it could have been semen at that point. He was then bringing me more drinks - probably one to three cups of coffee a week. "Since that occasion, I tipped them away in the sink - seeing the sort of substance in the sink - it was different sizes and quantities each time. At least six times I've seen it - I've not drunk it since that first time," she was quoted as saying.
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
The hidden truths of the superyachting industry: A survivor's story of abuse
Elle Fisher, a former superyacht crew member, courageously shares her story of resilience and the urgent need for change in an industry plagued by abuse and silence. Image: Supplied and Diego F Parra / Pexels In an industry often glamorised by reality television shows and the glimmer of luxury yachts, the darker realities of the superyachting world are hidden beneath the surface. Elle Fisher, originally from Durban but now residing in Mexico, chose to leave a 12-year career in superyachting after enduring relentless abuse and harassment. Fisher's decision to come forward reveals a troubling culture within an industry that prioritises reputation over the welfare of its crew. This follows the recent murder of South African stewardess Paige Bell, who was allegedly killed by a fellow crewman in the engine room of the superyacht 'Far From It' in the Bahamas, just days before her 21st birthday. A 28-year-old South African woman is currently recovering in a Miami hospital after a reported multiple stabbing incident on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship last week. The assailant, also a South African crew member, reportedly jumped overboard after the attack. Meanwhile, a new Netflix documentary revisits the 1998 cold case of American Amy Bradley, who disappeared during a Caribbean cruise to Curaçao. Elle Fisher, a former superyacht crew member, bravely shares her harrowing experiences of abuse and harassment in the yachting industry, calling for urgent reforms to protect vulnerable crew members. Image: Supplied Fisher noted a decade-long, exponential rise in yachting interest, especially among South Africans, since reality TV shows like 'Below Deck' emerged. She said yachting provides exceptional advantages, including complimentary global travel to exclusive destinations favoured by billionaires. Crew members receive excellent, tax-free salaries and the potential for substantial cash tips, facilitating significant savings. However, she said yachting is not for everyone and it is rife with sexual coercion, abuse of power, and retaliation. 'In my own experience, I've seen it play out in many forms: captains sleeping with stewardesses and then promoting them. Women coerced into relationships for the sake of career advancement, and senior crew being pushed out when they speak up.' Reflecting on her personal experiences, Fisher said in 2011, on the weekend of her 33rd birthday, she was assaulted and held for three days at a crew house in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by a fellow South African crewman after she rejected his romantic advances. During the attack, the perpetrator dislocated her shoulder, tearing several ligaments. Fortunately, she managed to escape and secured a restraining order. Fisher said her attacker went on to work on other yachts. 'No blacklist. No industry investigation.' She recalled that early in her career, while working as a second stewardess, a deckhand entered her cabin naked and jumped on top of her while she was in bed. 'I screamed rape. Only then did he panic and run down the hallway naked. I was young, scared, and unsure what to do. I should have reported him. I should have fought. But I didn't want to lose my job.' Fisher stated that the harsh reality is that "silence is survival" for many junior crew members. Five years later, while working as an interior manager on a 70-metre superyacht in the Caribbean, the head chef entered her private cabin, drunk and belligerent, making inappropriate advances and refusing to leave her room. Fisher reported the incident and requested the offender's removal. Weeks later, she was told firing him "would create red tape", and he was kept on. 'I was having panic attacks and suffering anxiety. I was told to take a medical leave, and I never returned.' Even the vessel's Designated Person Ashore (DPA), a required neutral safety authority for yacht crew, failed to protect her, she said. 'When your safety depends on people whose salaries are paid by the abuser, there is no safety. When the flag state can only investigate 'labour conditions', not violence or coercion, what are we really regulating?' According to Fisher, there was also an unsuccessfully attempt to coerce her to resign. Fisher stated that the yachting industry has a dark side. 'It fires victims to preserve reputations. It demands silence through contracts (non-disclosure agreements). It fails to enforce even the most basic safeguarding procedures. We work in confined quarters, remote coastlines, and shared cabins. If a predator wants access, the system makes it easy.' Fisher warned that unless the industry prioritises crew protection over contracts, such issues will persist. 'When misconduct occurs, it is typically the victims who are dismissed, discredited, or quietly forced out. In the most tragic cases, such as those of… Paige, the result has been fatal.' Fisher said the men involved remain and continue to progress through the ranks even when their actions are known within the industry. The unfortunate reality is that in yachting, it is not what you know, but who you know, she said. Women who report misconduct are often labelled as 'difficult' or regarded as a liability and are quietly removed from the rotation of opportunity. 'Until the industry creates and enforces transparent mechanisms for reporting and responding to misconduct, this culture of silence and impunity will persist. And it will continue to cost women their careers, their safety, and in some cases, their lives,' said Fisher. She said criminal background checks should be mandatory for all crew members. 'It baffles me that in an industry with such an extreme volume of required documentation including medical certificates, visas, Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers(STCW) training, firefighting, first aid and crowd control, not once in my nine years as a chief stewardess and interior manager was I asked to provide a criminal background check or ask for one when I hired crew. 'The irony is, we live and work in isolation, sometimes with complete strangers, in confined environments at sea. We're sharing cabins. We're working 18-hour days under high stress. And yet, we hire people from Facebook groups, based on word of mouth, or through recruitment agencies.' Another concern she raised is that recruitment agents do not properly vet candidates. 'For me, earning €8,000 a month, the agent made €8,000 when I was placed. There's no long-term interest in whether that hire is safe, stable, or ethical.' Fisher called for mandated criminal background checks, psychological screening, enforceable rest periods, and a human resource structure that doesn't serve only the owners. She noted that B1/B2 (US, Caribbean) or Schengen (Europe) visas don't confirm a criminal check, only a declaration without investigation. When asked why industry safety is not widely discussed, Fisher replied: "Because we're afraid." 'We lose our jobs. We get branded as 'difficult.' We get bullied, isolated, and replaced,' she said, adding that complainants are seen as the weak link and a liability. Fisher stated that the NDAs prevent employees from discussing anything unethical, unsafe, or traumatic that occurs on board, under penalty of termination, lawsuits, or industry blacklisting. 'Until we dismantle that culture of silence and give crew the legal and psychological safety to speak, we will keep burying stories and people.' Fisher further explained that jurisdiction in the yachting industry is murky because they operate internationally, often in remote locations, out of range of oversight. She said vessel flag states, not geography, dictate onboard laws, creating legal loopholes that protect owners, not crew. A new wave of awareness: The IMO's commitment to safety The International Maritime Organization (IMO) said while some of its regulations apply to all ships, if the ship is a commercial yacht, then usually flag states have their own regulations (e.g. Large Yacht Code) which generally apply similar levels of safety and other standards to IMO treaties such as the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and STCW Conventions. For example, the IMO said the Bahamas Maritime Authority has yacht codes. The organisation said the issue of violence and harassment at sea is a concern for IMO, and this has been highlighted in its 2025 global campaign called Day of the Seafarer 2025. 'The IMO's Maritime Safety Committee has also agreed to revise the International Safety Management Code to address violence and harassment on ships, including bullying and sexual harassment,' said the organisation. The IMO said the Maritime Safety Committee has adopted amendments to the STCW Code to require basic training for all seafarers on violence and harassment on ships, including on sexual harassment, sexual assault, and bullying. 'IMO continuously works to improve safety at sea and address issues raised by its member states.' Explaining why mandatory criminal checks are not compulsory, the IMO stated that national legislation (flag state) covers crewing conditions and employer responsibilities in the superyacht industry. [email protected]
Daily Maverick
4 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Breaking the crime cycle — Bail Fund could ease prison overcrowding
South Africa's prisons are overcrowded by 53%, with remand detainees accounting for almost a third of those incarcerated. While legislative efforts to reduce overcrowding have been ineffective, the Bail Fund could help those who can't afford to pay their bail. Correctional Services Minister Dr Pieter Groenewald has said remand detainees have a direct bearing on prisons' bed capacity, which is one of several factors contributing to prison overcrowding. There are just 107,000 beds in South African prisons, but about 166,000 inmates are housed in the country's 243 correctional centres, resulting in a 53% overcrowding rate. This negatively affects safety and security, gang violence, and the success of rehabilitation programmes. In March this year, Daily Maverick's Caryn Dolley reported that cellphones, alcohol, smoking pipes, drugs and even tattoo machines are passing through South Africa's overcrowded prisons as inmates and corrupt officials collude to form a key part of organised crime networks. Groenewald, speaking during the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) budget vote in July, said there were 107,067 bed spaces available, currently occupied by 104,550 sentenced inmates. There are almost 60,000 remand detainees (those awaiting trial or sentencing), pushing the number of beds needed to around 166,000. The minister stressed that remand detainees significantly contributed to overcrowding, noting that the department had to admit all court-referred persons, regardless of capacity. Currently, 2,530 remand detainees remained in custody solely because they could not afford bail of R1,000 or less, despite having been granted bail by courts. Keeping each of these individuals in custody costs the taxpayer R463 per person per day. Prison overcrowding and high recidivism rates are linked, creating a dangerous cycle. Overcrowded facilities make it impossible to provide adequate living conditions and effective rehabilitation programmes. Without effective rehabilitation, ex-prisoners are more likely to reoffend upon release, which contributes to more overcrowding when they re-enter the prison system. Legal strategies fail to curb overcrowding Another impediment to overcrowding, as heard by the parliamentary correctional services committee on Friday, 25 July, was the low success rate of legislation targeted at reducing overcrowding in correctional facilities around the country. The DCS briefed the committee on the use of Section 49G of the Correctional Services Act (CSA) and Section 62F of the Criminal Procedures Act (CPA) applications. Both sections aim to reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities. Section 49G says a remand detainee may not be detained for more than two years without the matter being brought to the attention of the court. The head of the remand centre must refer the case to the court at least three months before the two-year detention period lapses. If the detainee remains in custody following the initial review, further submissions to the court must be made on an annual basis. Section 62F of the CPA allows courts to impose additional bail conditions, such as placing an accused person under probation or correctional supervision, rather than in remand. Both sections have done little to alleviate overcrowding. The committee heard that Section 62F was underused while the success rate for the 12,283 Section 49G applications in 2022/23 was 1.25% nationally, with the Eastern Cape and Western Cape both indicating a 0% success rate. 'In terms of the outcomes of Section 49G application, especially relating to the Eastern Cape, it's a very serious concern. The committee will raise this with the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development that deals with referrals,' said correctional services committee chairperson Kgomotso Ramolobeng. Efforts at solutions The Bail Fund could offer a viable solution to easing overcrowding in correctional facilities. The fund aims to address the injustice faced by remand detainees who cannot afford bail amounts under R1,000 by providing financial assistance. The fund will rely solely on private funding. A pilot project in the Western Cape is being developed to test its feasibility, with eligibility criteria excluding individuals accused of serious crimes such as gender-based violence (GBV). Courts will determine suitability, ensuring beneficiaries do not pose a public risk, have a fixed address and will comply with bail conditions. The fund is led by the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (Jics) with support from the Bertha Foundation and other stakeholders. It has produced a feasibility study and raised roughly half of the required pilot money through philanthropy. A trust has been formed to oversee the fund. The next stages are to secure additional funding, designate trustees and finalise eligibility guidelines. Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Service (Jics) inspecting Judge Edwin Cameron has described the more than 2,500 remand detainees who remain in prison because they can't afford bail as 'prisoners of poverty'. He said it was a grave injustice which significantly contributed to South Africa's prison overcrowding problem. Parliamentary committee chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng indicated that committee members agreed that much work needed to be done on the project, including an extensive public participation process to establish whether communities would be in favour of such a fund. 'The committee encouraged Jics to continue with its groundwork on the project with other stakeholders like the South African Police Service and the NPA. It is important to thoroughly engage communities, as offenders on bail will have to go back to families and communities. 'The committee will monitor this space and engage Jics and other stakeholders once it has sight of a more comprehensive plan,' she said. Foreign nationals 'extra burden' To alleviate overcrowding in correctional facilities, Groenewald wants to deport foreign prisoners. More than 12,000 foreign prisoners make up 19% of the remand population, which the minister says contributes to overcrowding. Another about 12,000 are serving sentences, who make up just over 12% of sentenced prisoners. During his budget speech, Groenewald emphasised: 'The South African taxpayer foots the bill for just over 24,000 foreign nationals. Calculated at R463 per day, this results in an expense of R11,112,000 per day. We are currently exploring various solutions, including diplomatic approaches.' He said bilateral engagements with South African Development Community countries to deport offenders who were foreign nationals aimed to ease overcrowding in correctional facilities. The process is already under way, with the Protocol on the Management of Foreign Nationals: Remand Detainees and Persons Detained for Deportation signed by Correctional Services, SAPS, and the Department of Home Affairs. According to the minister, a process is under way to amend the Criminal Procedure Act to enable the deportation of offenders who were foreign nationals. DM
