The suspect accused of the brutal murder of Veronique May (8), a girl whose body was discovered on 6 October in KwaLanga, briefly appeared today, 10 November, at the Uitenhage Magistrate’s Court with a smirk on his face as he entered the dock.
The appearance was an emotional one for the mother, Destiny May, as she was crying during the proceedings after seeing the accused, Lelethu Nkosana (27), who was known to her prior to the incident.
Arrested in the Kamesh precinct on 6 October, the suspect faces charges of kidnapping, rape, and murder of a minor.
The charge sheet states that there are a few things outstanding in the investigation, such as the DNA sample, fingerprints, and witness statements.
According to SAPS spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse Van Rensburg, preliminary information indicates that the young victim was reported missing by her family on Sunday, 5 October, at SAPS Kamesh after 17:00.
“A search was immediately launched by the police,” she said. “Information was obtained regarding whom Veronique May (8) was last seen with on Sunday evening. SAPS Kamesh found the man and, for his own safety, he was removed from the community to the police station.”
Speaking to UD Express, Veronique’s grandfather, Reginald Malgas, said she was like his own child. “She was our little sunshine,” he said. “She was very intelligent and energetic. When you asked her to go to the shop, she would always run. She even told me that she wanted to be the first one at school the next day. She always had that mindset of being first at everything.”
Malgas added that they would miss Veronique as this incident had ripped his family apart. “Our hearts as a family have been broken by this. We always see this happen to other people, but we never thought it could ever happen to us.”
The father, Bulelani Khumazi, shared, “We know the perpetrator; he lives in our neighbourhood and took advantage of our little girl. His little sister and my daughter were friends. She trusted him.”
Thankful for the eight years he spent with Veronique, Malgas said that he does not want Veronique to be remembered as a victim. “I want her memory to live on, which is why I plan to warn other children and families about this. In our case, it was someone known to us who did this. I want to warn other learners and families to be vigilant by going to schools to have talks with them about being aware of perpetrators like these, so that no family goes through what we went through.”
The matter was postponed to 22 January 2026 for further investigation, with Nkosana to be held in custody.
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