Latest news with #MarthavanderWalt
IOL News
19-07-2025
- IOL News
Woman granted bail after fatal incident during traditional ceremony in Germiston
Pretty Mahlangu was killed after a car rammed into a group of teens during a traditional ceremony A woman, accused of knocking over a teenage girl during a traditional ceremony in Germiston last month, has been granted R5,000 bail. Martha van der Walt, 68, appeared in the Germiston Magistrate's Court on Friday where she faced a charge of culpable homicide. Last month, Pretty Mahlangu, 13, was killed after a vehicle rammed through a group of teens taking part in a traditional coming-of-age ceremony.
News24
18-07-2025
- News24
Woman accused of running girl over with her car at Zulu ceremony gets R5 000 bail
A 68-year-old woman accused of culpable homicide after running a 14-year-old girl over with her car during a traditional coming-of-age ceremony in Germiston, Gauteng, last month has been released on R5 000 bail. Martha van der Walt appeared in the Germiston Magistrate's Court after she handed herself over to police on Friday, accompanied by her lawyer, Kineil Muthray. Muthray told journalists Van der Walt was concerned about public perception and claims that she had deliberately run Pretty Mahlangu over. The lawyer also said it was unnecessary to have a warrant issued for Van der Walt's arrest. But the court heard that the warrant was issued after the initial case against Van der Walt was provisionally withdrawn, pending further investigation. Once investigations were completed, the matter was re-enrolled, resulting in the warrant. According to the Mahlangu family's spokesperson, Mzwandile Soyaya, the girls who were with Mahlangu at the coming-of-age ceremony, held for Nhlanhla Sithebe, 16, told him that, minutes before the incident, Van der Walt stopped her car near to them. 'She asked why [the girls] were partially dressed, with their breasts not covered. The girls replied they were celebrating their Zulu culture,' Soyaya said. Then she ran Mahlangu over. The case returns to court on 20 August.
Eyewitness News
18-07-2025
- Eyewitness News
Motorist accused of killing teen in Germiston granted bail
JOHANNESBURG -The woman accused of driving through a crowd during a coming of age ceremony in Germiston, killing a teenager has been granted R5,000 bail for a second time. 68-year-old Martha van der Walt appeared in the Germiston Magistrate's Court on Friday on a charge of culpable homicide. Last month, 13-year-old Pretty Mahlangu was killed when a car ploughed through a group of teenagers attending a traditional ceremony called umhlonyane. Shortly after the incident, Van der Walt handed herself over to police where she was released on R5,000 station bail. ALSO READ: - New warrant of arrest issued for Ekurhuleni driver accused of killing teen - Katlehong family outraged over police's communication in their child's murder case - NPA confirms case against driver who allegedly ran over teen placed on court roll In court on Friday, her attorney Keniel Muthray said his client will continue cooperating with police investigations. "Because of the schedule, she is not required to place efficient facts to show in terms of schedule 5 or 6, which is a little bit more of an onerous task. We just need to see if it's in the interest of justice that she be released." The Mahlangu family has accused officers at the Germiston police station of giving Van der Walt preferential treatment.
