Day 6 of the alledged Sunday Rapist Trail.

Today I am going to start the story from the end. The first three photographs was shot after Steyn's ex wife testified in camera. There was a short break and he came back into court and saw that his wife had retaken her seat in the witness stand. He was crying while she was testifying before the break but we were not allowed to take pictures while the Judge is still in court so that opportunity we missed. So I waited for him to come back after the break. I kept watching him and saw that he keeps looking over at his ex wife behind the window (she cant see into court but he can see her). I saw that he was getting emotional again and just before the Judge came in he wiped the tears from his eyes.

Steyn looking over at his ex wife that is sitting behind the window waiting to testify in camera.

Steyn wiping away his tears just as the judge comes into court. 

The rest of the pics below is just the normal happenings in court. 

Steyn pulling his strange face as photographers take his picture. I don't think he does this on purpose its probably just him sniffing?

Steyn chatting to his laywer.

Steyn looking back at the court.

Steyn smilling after joking with photographers. There was also another acuused from another trail sitting next to him, that case was just quickly postponed, Steyn also said that the other acuused was making him laugh.

Steyn entering the court from the holding cells.

Another minor testified in camera today about what happened to her after she was abducted by the Alledged Sunday Rapist. Hearing these young girls tell their story's fills you with feelings of anger and sadness that something so horrific had happened to them. No one deserves to be put through what these girls have gone through.

I'm not going to go into further details, for more info on this case go read Janice Keogh's article that apeared on Beeld's website: http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Sondagverkragter-saak-hervat-20120730

Day 4 & 5 of the Alledged Sunday Rapist trail.

DAY 4

 Steyn making another joke and trying to start up a conversation.

Steyn in the witness stand.

Steyn being taken away after court adjourned for the day.


Day 4 and my experiences.


I walked into court this morning and was stopped by the De Waal famliy. I have gotten to know them, on an informal basis because of my involvement in this case because I have been covering the case since Steyns first appearance in the Krugersdorp's Magistrate Court. They asked me why we chose the photograph of Steyn smiling that appeared in the paper? So I started to explain why he was smiling and that our night desk decides what photos fits the story best and they stopped me to say, "no no no no no were not angry, we are just interested in why you choose certain pictures". I then apologised that we are photographing them so often to which they replied, "no dont worry its ok we understand". I always try to be as un intrusive as possible when photographing people in very emotional situations. 

Day 4 was a very eventful day in court again with Steyn taking the stand to give his version of the events that lead to him giving a statement in front of a magistrate in which he admitted guilt to the murder of Louise De Waal and other cases.  One of the things he admitted to was that he cheated on his wife with other woman and prostitutes. Im not going to go into all the detail as its a lot but if you wish to read it further you can go to : http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Jammer-dat-ek-monster-is-20120726

DAY 5

Jessica Du Toit (Louise De Waal's sister) in the witness stand.


Day 5 started with Jessica Du Toit (Louise's sister) taking the witness stand and giving a short testimony on her sisters cellphone and that she tried to contact her. I dont even want to imagine how hard this must have been for her to face her sisters suspected killler. She is really a very strong and brave woman.

The next witness was a 13 year old girl that was abducted by the supected Sunday Rapist. She gave a detailed testimony of how she was abducted and the events that came after. This was a really hard testimony to hear and it tore me apart inside to hear a young girl telling the court what she went through. Im not going to give all the details but if you are interested the rest of the testimony and what happened in court can be read at: http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Jy-maak-my-seer-20120727

This is a article that Marzanne Van Den Bergh wrote for Beeld on the 27th of July 2012 and the link for day 4 on the 26th.

Day 3 of the Alledged Sunday Rapist Trail

 Jaco Steyn laughing when he asked me today whether I brought the money after he asked me yesterday whether he could get R1 for every photograph I take of him.

Adv. Anton Lerm consulting with Steyn in the holding sells in court, on the right is a reflection in the window of the court room.

My experiences.

Day three was again a very emotional day in court with the forensic pathologist giving testimony. Dr Gina Rowe testified that Louise De Waal was probably still alive when her body was burnt. I must say that its not an easy thing to hear even though we try to distance ourselves by "hiding" behind the lens. I can only imagine what the De Waal family must be going through and my heart really goes out to them. Standing in court and facing your daughters alleged killer must be one of the most difficult things to do.

I'm not a journalist by trade so I wont be going into all the details of all the witnesses testimonies but more my own experiences of the trial.

Steyn is a very interesting character always coming in to court and sitting down immediately, looking down and arranging his documents that he takes notes on. Sometimes he starts by making notes other times he just sits there. He also carriers a Bible into court with him. The weirdest thing is trying to photograph him and then while your not expecting it, he suddenly looks up and says something to you. This is where he asked me the first time about the R1 for every photo and him smiling on the photo.

Then directly after that the court adjourns and after the break he comes back and he tells the judge that the photographers are too intense and that he will revoke his permission for us to photograph him if we don't cool it down. Weird I know.

I must say on day three its already getting difficult getting new photographs that has not been shot yet. I managed today but I will have to get creative during the rest of the trial. When I need to photograph the De Waal family, I try to give them their space and stand far back shooting with my long lense as not to intrude. My focus is more on Jaco Steyn and what he does during the times I'm allowed to photograph him. But I also try to read the situation with the testimonies that are going on, and try to get a feel of what the story in the paper will be like. The reason is that I'm trying to match up my photograph with the story.



Dag 3 in die hof 


Uitreksel uit Marzanne Van Den Berg se Storie wat in Beeld verskyn het vandag: Die volle artikel is beskikbaar by: http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Sy-leef-toe-sy-brand-hoor-hof-20120725

Woensdag het die hof gehoor Louise de Waal het waarskynlik nog gelewe toe haar liggaam aan die brand gesteek is.

Dr. Gina Rowe, die patoloog wat die lykskouing op die 16-jarige se verkoolde lyk gehou het, het gister gesê sy het roet in Louise se lugpyp gevind en dit dui aan sy het nog asemgehaal toe die brand gestig is.

“Oh my God,” het Shireen de Waal, Louise se ma, duidelik hoorbaar in die openbare galery gesê in reaksie op Rowe se woorde.

Dit was op die derde dag van die verhoor van Johannes Jacobus Steyn (36), die vermeende “Sondagverkragter”. 

Hy staan in die hooggeregshof wat in die Palm Ridge-landdroshof in Thokoza aan die Oos-Rand sit op 37 aanklagte tereg, waaronder die ontvoering en verkragting van en moord op Louise. 

Sy is op 12 Oktober verlede jaar in Roodepoort ontvoer.

Die res van die artikel kan by die link wat bo gegee word gelees word. 

Day 2 of Alledged Sunday Rapist trail

 Steyn smiling at the camera after he asked me if he can get R1 for every photo I take of him and I replied that it would be a shit load of money.

 Jessica Du Toit lying on her mothers shoulder in the trial.

 Shireen De Waal stares at Steyn after she shouted at him in court. She shouted "Jaco Steyn! I want him to look at me, he murdered my daughter."

Ok and my favourite shot, worked better for me in colour.

My own remarks

The trail is a very difficult one photo wise because Steyn only has one expression and the only real expressions he shows is when he talks to his lawyer. So I try to work with it.

Its also a very emotional trial with the De Waal family being present and my heart goes out to them in this difficult time. I really try to keep my distance when photographing them as I don't want to intrude. It makes it difficult because my job as a photojournalist is to record the trail proceedings by means of photographs even if it means photographing emotional situations. Many people may judge us because of this, but its our job, unfortunately, or so we feel sometimes. Each one of us (news photographers) deals with these emotions of pain and extreme sorrow we see on regular basis in their own way. These emotions don't just disappear because we stand behind a camera most of us takes the pain, of all the other people we encounter, to bed with us each night.



Stay tuned for day 3's pics, will be posted tomorrow.