Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo

10 October 2023

Palesa Gladness Tsotetsi appeared before the Evander Magistrate Court on Monday, 09 October 2023 for her formal bail application.

Palesa is facing murder and child neglect charges after she allegedly beat her stepchild to death.During her appearance, Tsotetsi appeared in Nandipha Magudumane’s style, newly braided with a face-beat and eyelashes on.

Tsotetsi alleges she’s not guilty of all the charges laid against her.

Meanwhile, members of different political organizations were marching and chanting no bail for Tsotetsi.

In the affidavit submitted before the court, Tsotetsi alleges that she found the child laying on the couch; after two hours, she then noticed the deceased was unwell, thereby taking her to the nearest clinic where the child was declared deceased by the nurses at the clinic.

Tsotesti further alleged that she called the father to come so they could take the deceased to the clinic, but the father said he had no money to come back.

During cross-examination, Tsotetsi was asked why she did not refer to the deceased as one of her children, as she counted that she has only two children.

She replied that she did not count her stepchild, as she is accused of murdering her.

Tsotetsi further alleged that the child was taken under her care after the biological mother failed; she went on to say that the mother had brought the deceased with sores. Therefore, she had been the one taking care of the child and making sure that she was medically taken care of.

Further, when questioned about the injuries the deceased had, she mentioned that there is a swing that the children used to play on outside; therefore, when the children play there, they can easily sustain injuries.

Tsotetsi further stated that she would request permission from the father to take the child to the clinic as per their agreement after moving in together.

She further alleged that some injuries sustained by the deceased were from the beatings of her father,Mike Sibeko.

The matter has been remanded until Friday, 13 October 2023 for further proceedings on the bail application.