- A Bonteheuwel woman briefly appeared in court on child pornography charges.
- The woman allegedly sold naked photos of her four-year-old child.
- The case has been postponed for further investigation.
Bonteheuwel residents protested outside the Bishop Lavis Magistrate's Court where a mother from the area appeared in connection with selling child pornography.
The 32-year-old woman was arrested last month after allegedly selling naked photographs of her four-year-old daughter on the dark web. The woman allegedly received payment via PayPal.
The accused, who cannot be named to protect the child's identity, appeared briefly in court on Thursday.
The case was postponed to 15 September to allow for further investigation, said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi previously told News24 that the woman faced charges of manufacturing child pornography, possession of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, financial gain from child pornography and rape.
She was arrested when local police and US authorities partnered after the FBI picked up on her online activity. She was then traced via geotagging with an agent from the homeland security department acting as a buyer.
Ward councillor Angus Mckenzie said the community was prepared to gather outside the court for every appearance.
"This matter was investigated by the FBI, and their service must be applauded. It cannot be and will not be that we allow cases like this to go unpunished. It is for this very reason that I, along with a number of residents, attended the court hearing. We will continue to be in court for every appearance," he said.
"As a community, we oppose any bail for perpetrators of such heinous crimes. I will continue to place pressure on the police, the courts and communities across the city to fight gender-based violence and ensure effective justice for victims of gender-based violence," he added.