Charge against man who flung daughter from roof changed

The charges against a Nelson Mandela Bay man who tossed his young daughter from a shack roof have been changed to child abuse.

The man – who cannot be named to protect his daughter’s identity – appeared in the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court on Monday and initially faced a charge of attempted murder.

His court appearance relates to a tense standoff in Joe Slovo last Thursday where the 38-year-old man flung his child from the roof of his shack while resisting the demolition of the structure.

The man had been clutching his baby daughter to his chest on his corrugated iron rooftop amid a heavy police presence in the area to safeguard the process as the SAPS, metro police and municipal officials started demolishing shacks built on illegally occupied municipal land.

He was on the roof for about five minutes before he threw the baby spurred on by members of the community who shouted, throw, throw, throw.

The case was postponed to April 23 for further investigation.

The social worker report needs to be presented as well address verification.

The man will remain in custody until then.

DA councillor Nqaba Bhanga who was in court said they were happy that the man would remain behind bars.

"It is not acceptable that any person can use the life of a child as a shield, we have to protect our children. This is a typical example where we do not value the life of our children,we can use our children to make a statement," he said.

"Therefor the court was very clear that bail was denied. We have a situation in South Africa where our children's rights are undermined and I think this community and that father should learn  that the lives of our children are very important."