WATCH LIVE: All eyes on court as Tiffany Meek applies for bail in the murder of her son Jayden-Lee

The Fleurhof community is bracing for another emotional day as Tiffany Meek, the mother accused of murdering her 11-year-old son, Jayden-Lee Meek, is due to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Friday for her bail application.

Tiffany’s brief court appearance earlier this week was postponed after her legal representative failed to show.

That delay only deepened tensions, with outraged residents gathered outside court demanding justice for Jayden-Lee, whose killing has shaken the country and exposed deep cracks in child protection systems.

A Mother at the Centre of a Community’s Grief

Jayden-Lee was last seen alive on May 13.

His body was discovered the next morning near his home. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), his death followed prolonged abuse.

The case, said NPA Gauteng spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwana, ranks among the most harrowing child abuse incidents they’ve dealt with this year.

Meek has not yet entered a formal plea, but the court proceedings so far have stirred strong reactions, not just from the public but also from within her own family.

In a now-viral TikTok video, Meek’s mother, Debbie Dunn, tearfully defended her daughter, claiming Tiffany is being framed. Dunn accused the police, prosecutors, and activists of deliberately sidelining the family during Tiffany’s initial court appearance.

“Our attorney was rudely dismissed at court,” Dunn claimed.

“They made sure we were not present, just to further discredit her.”

Dunn said she hoped bail would be granted because the family no longer trusted the justice system.

A Case That Shook a Community

Jayden-Lee’s death sent ripples through Fleurhof, sparking protests, public outcry, and demands for accountability.

Community members are again expected to gather in large numbers at court on Friday, with many calling for bail to be denied.

One of the most visible community figures in this tragedy has been philanthropist and activist Neil Singh, who covered Jayden-Lee’s funeral costs. Singh, speaking at the funeral, said the community should prepare for an “unthinkable” truth about who was responsible.

After Meek’s arrest, Singh told IOL he wasn’t surprised.

“I said it on the day of the funeral, we're going to be shocked when we find out who did this,” he said.

Meanwhile, ActionSA MP Dereleen James has called for swift justice and further arrests, expressing disbelief at the allegations against Tiffany Meek.

“We were not expecting this,” James told IOL. “It’s devastating.”

Questions for the System

As the investigation continues, questions have emerged around whether authorities and educators failed to protect Jayden-Lee.

The Gauteng Department of Education has confirmed it is reviewing reports that staff at his school may have noticed signs of abuse but failed to act.

Deputy Minister of Police Polly Boshielo, who attended court this week, said investigators believe others may still be arrested.

“This wasn’t easy. There was a lot of backlash about how long we took. But we’re not done yet,” he said.

Boshielo echoed what many in the country feel: that the place where Jayden-Lee was supposed to be safest, at his home,  became the scene of something unimaginable.

What Happens Next

Tiffany Meek’s bail application is scheduled for Friday.

Whether or not she walks out of court, the community she leaves behind, activists told IOL,  is still grappling with the loss of a child  and the haunting possibility that the signs were there all along.

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