Cape Town - What started as a normal day for an eight-year-old girl three years ago, ended up cementing heartache, fear and anger in her community forever.
Tazne van Wyk disappeared on February 7, 2020, after she left her home in Ravensmead to buy a lollipop at a shop, a few metres from her house.
Ravensmead, previously known as a Tiervlei, is situated in the northern suburbs of Cape Town.
It is one of the areas where Coloured people were relocated to when the then apartheid regime implemented the Group Areas Act.
The predominantly Coloured community is infested by drugs and gangs and while children fill the streets playing carefree, gang violence is a reality as shots can ring out at any time.
A tight-knit community with many low-income households and backyard dwellers that may not share the same luxuries as the leafy suburbs but the words ‘your child is my child’ rings true here.
The Grade 3 Eurecon Primary School pupil’s disappearance would bring a once-divided community together and reveal an incomprehensible evil lurking in the area.
As soon as word of her disappearance reached ears across Cape Town, community members, along with law enforcement agencies, formed search parties.
One of the organisations involved was the Western Cape Missing Persons Unit (WCMPU), a volunteer group who heeds the call in search of those who have disappeared. Many cases the team has worked on have not had happy endings.
One such case was that of Michaela Williams, from Pelican Park who went missing on January 7, 2020 — a month before Tazne.
She went missing just after 7.30pm after finishing her supper and had gone to play outside. Her mother immediately notified the authorities after she could not find her daughter and a search was conducted.
The WCMPU unit immediately deployed its volunteers in search of the girl.
A neighbour who had previously been convicted for the attempted murder and rape of a minor was placed into the spotlight when police sought him for questioning. He was nowhere to be found.
Steven Fortune knew police were hot on his trail and on January 8, 2020, he texted a relative his location for police to arrest him.
He gave police his statement and took them to the scene where he had left Michaela’s lifeless body.
Fortune strangled Michaela with his hands and she resisted, knocking off his glasses. He then ripped the vest top she was wearing from her body and used the material to tie her wrists behind her back.
Fortune penetrated Michaela vaginally and anally, and when she tried screaming he used her own skirt to strangle her in an attempt to keep her quiet.
He then threw two concrete blocks on Michaela’s head and covered her body with a blanket before fleeing the scene.
Michaela knew her killer. She was lured away. Her body found on a vacant plot not far from her home on the corner of 9th Avenue and Schaap Road.
He pleaded guilty to kidnapping, murder and two counts of rape. Fortune was subsequently sentenced to three life terms plus seven years in the Western Cape High Court.
Reeling from a previous child killing the month prior to Tazne’s disappearance, WCMPU director Candice van der Rheede and her team sprung into action as soon as they got the call early the evening of her disappearance.
“We interviewed the family and got all the information we needed. The Saturday morning I received a call saying the neighbour’s uncle was also missing,” van der Rheede said recalling the case.
“When we went through, we did a door-to-door searches arranged with all the neighbourhood watches and community members, posted posters throughout the Ravensmead precinct, as well as Elsies River.”
Although early in the search for Tazne, suspicion had started to grow and fingers were pointing to a man named Moehydian Pangaker. A neighbour who was no longer in the area.
On the day she disappeared, Tazne was last seen walking with this man. Thereafter she was never seen again.
While other suspects were looked at, Pangaker was a known drifter who never stayed in one place for long periods of time. This all seemed to be too opportunistic.
“We also arranged with the Bishop Lavis precinct for them to also conduct searches as we knew Moehydian Pangaker was well known in different areas,” van der Rheede said.
She said her volunteers from all areas were activated, K9 dogs were called in, as well as members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) who were present during searches.
Van der Rheede said they had to follow up on any and every lead received and as the search progressed, details unfolding of 57-year-old Pangaker instilled fear for Tazne’s safety.
Pangaker, who is described as having nomad tendencies as he would not stay in one place for too long, escalated the searches to different areas.
“He could have been anywhere with Tazne and that was the scariest part. This man had most probably taken her out of Cape Town,” Van der Rheede said.
And, as evidence before the court would later reveal, Pangaker did just that.
Days after the disappearance of Tazne, there was a full-on riot by residents after rumours surfaced Pangaker was hiding out at a local school.
Angry residents baying for his blood surrounded St Andrews Secondary School and police called to the scene were stoned.
The angry mob of about 1 000 people were not letting up.
Even rival gangs came together in search of young Tazne. A community once divided by gangs now stood together for a common purpose – bringing Tazne home.
Days went by and the searches continued, a community hopeful of bringing home their child.
But, Pangaker would later be found and apprehended in Cradock in the Eastern Cape.
At first, he denied any wrongdoing to police.
However, he soon caved in and led police to where her body lie – a stormwater drain along the N1 highway near Worcester, 12 days after her disappearance.
She had been raped, bashed to death, her left hand cut off and her body in a decomposing state.
The community of Ravensmead, Cape Town and the nation were outraged.
The headlines of Tazne’s story reached a national level and even President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the family.
Pangaker had previous convictions from 1981 to 2004.
Hundreds swarmed their way into the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court during Pangaker’s first appearance.
The anger and heartache was understandable from residents – yet, the pain her parents felt could never be described.
Once the details of the vicious and vile deeds done to Tazne surfaced, a dagger was shoved deeper into the hearts of her family and community. Grown men weeping. Her last moments could only have been dark, painful and lonely.
While many rejoiced in Pangaker’s arrest, the justice system would soon be questioned because the matter was constantly delayed.
While the nation called for justice, they were met with months of delays.
Pangaker faced 27 charges, including murder, multiple charges of rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, incest and defeating the ends of justice.
In May 2021, after the matter had finally reached the Western Cape High Court, the matter was postponed for a year.
The pain at the postponement were etched on the faces of Tazne’s parents, her father Terence Manuel and mother Carmen van Wyk said they were being sidelined and not being told anything.
During trial proceedings which began in May 2022, the State had a mountain of evidence and when the forensic pathologist was called she confirmed Tazne had suffered a massive blow to the head.
A blow so hard the bones in her neck broke and her ribs fractured.
Tazne’s body was so badly decomposed her genitals had been eaten by maggots and it was difficult to establish her gender.
While the State continued to call witnesses, what would be the most shocking and “chilling thing”, as described by Judge Alan Maher, was the CCTV footage of Tazne’s last moments alive.
In the footage she can be seen getting out of a vehicle — along with Pangaker after the pair got a lift from strangers — pulling up at a local petrol station near Worcester.
The pair is then last seen walking down a dark road late at night.
“The CCTV footage where Tazne was last seen alive by anyone except the accused is chilling,” Judge Maher said.
“She shows no fear. The footage shows she trusts the accused and shows she was oblivious with no notion of the danger she was in. Such innocence.”
Once convicted of 21 of his 27 charges in October 2022, Pangaker maintained his innocence, despite the overwhelming evidence, including DNA against him.
Delivering his judgment, Judge Maher did not mince his words and called him a sexual predator who preyed on young girls.
During sentencing, Maher described Pangaker as deceitful, manipulative and cruel.
“His crimes are a hallmark of predatory behaviour. As the accused accepts no responsibilities for his crimes there is clearly no sign of rehabilitation,” Maher said.
“The viciousness, situations and circumstances and all offences were committed against defenceless victims,” he said.
“He is a sexual predator who preys upon young children known to him.”
Sitting in the dock, Pangaker sat with no expression on his face.
Maher also described Pangaker as a “dangerous and cunning criminal with a heart of darkness”.
While sentencing him, Pangaker stood before Judge Maher with arrogance.
His body language nonchalant, but his eyes screamed fear.
He was subsequently sentenced to over 250 years’ imprisonment, which included nine life sentences.
And while, Pangaker who portrayed himself as a wolf in sheep’s clothing is locked away, a community continue to live in fear.
Trying to live a normal life but subconsciously living in fear for the next dangerous and cunning criminal to surface.
So, while we live to see another day, we continue to pray for all the little Tazne’s who we have lost too soon.
Rest sweetly little girl.
IOL