Cape Town - The City of Cape Town has suspended Safety and Security Investigation Unit head, Reynold Talmakkies, after a high court judgment which found he had breached security protocols at the Mitchells Plain Regional Court, while his son stood trial for murder.
The municipality has remained tight-lipped on what procedures will now be followed.
A source revealed that Talmakkies was called in on Wednesday morning when officials were made aware of the judgment.
The judgment, handed down this week, revealed that a magistrate had recused herself from presiding over the case after she was approached and was told that he was “heading a certain section of the police department” and that he was the father of the accused.
Talmakkies’ son, David, and Garth Lamb were arrested for the murder of Cape Town rapper Chad du Plesis, who died after he was attacked outside his brother’s house in Strandfontein just after midnight on December 5, 2020.
The 22-year-old was about to pull into the driveway when he was approached by five unidentified men and an argument followed, ending with du Plesis being fatally stabbed.
At the time, Du Plessis was a member of Beeza CPT, a band of three brothers who had just released a mixtape called Definition of a Rockstar.
According to the judgment, the trial that was being heard at Mitchells Plain Regional Court was brought to a halt in September last year when the magistrate revealed that Talmakkies had approached her.
In the court transcripts she told the State and defence teams that she was approached as she left the courtroom and made her way to her car. The magistrate said that she cut the conversation short after he revealed he was the father of the accused. She later recused herself from the trial and the matter was taken up by the acting Regional Court president to the high court to seek a judgment for the magistrate to continue with the case.
While the high court judges ruled that the magistrate should not have recused herself, they highlighted the security breach saying the Mitchells Plain court management should take corrective measures to address this.
City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo confirmed the suspension and said: “Due process will now be followed, in line with the city’s policies and procedures and it would be premature to speculate on the outcome of these processes.”