Johannesburg - Remorse cannot be measured, a social worker told a Soweto court on Wednesday in the sentencing proceedings of Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye and his co-accused Themba Tshabalala.
People's personal circumstances needed to be taken into consideration in sentencing, social worker Annette Vergeer testified in the Protea Magistrate's Court.
Rudi Krause, for Maarohanye, called Vergeer, who had compiled a report on the 32-year-old musician.
“Regret or remorse is totally circumstantial,” Vergeer said.
“The fact that he (Maarohanye) didn't plead guilty: you can't say he didn't show remorse or doesn't regret the accident.”
She said Maarohanye was the breadwinner in his family and had about 15 people working for him.
Vergeer said the circumstances in prisons were “devastating” and they were often overcrowded.
“He is considered a suitable candidate for correctional supervision,” she told the court.
She proposed a suspended prison sentence and 570 hours of community service as a suitable sentence.
On October 16, Maarohanye and Tshabalala were found guilty on four counts of murder and two of attempted murder, of using drugs, racing on a public road, and of driving under the influence of drugs.
They were drag-racing in Protea North on March 8, 2010, when they crashed into a group of schoolboys, killing Prince Mohube, Mlungisi Cwayi, Andile Mthombeni, and Phomello Masemola, and leaving Frank Mlambo and Fumani Mushwana permanently brain damaged.
Maarohanye and Tshabalala were denied bail after judgment was handed down. Maarohanye applied for bail on November 7, but was denied.
Vergeer told the court Maarohanye wanted to approach the schoolchildren's families to apologise for his involvement in the accident.
He also wanted to establish a trust fund for the families, and planned to generate an income for it by holding concerts.
Maarohanye was expected to take the stand on Wednesday. - Sapa