Man in court for vet's rape, murder

White River - The case against a Mpumalanga man
accused of murdering, raping, and robbing
veterinarian Rensia DeWet was on Monday
postponed to next year.

The 30-year-old accused, who cannot be named until
he has pleaded, appeared briefly in the White River
Magistrate's Court on Monday, a Sapa correspondent
reported.

The man would remain in custody and the case was
postponed to 12 January.

The accused, believed to have been an employee at
the Nottinghill Equestrian Estate, near White River,
where DeWet, 46, lived, was arrested in KaMagugu
outside Mbombela on Saturday after police received
a tip-off.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said
DeWet was murdered in her home on the equestrian
estate in Yaverland, near White River, on 9
December.

She was found half naked in a pool of blood in her
bedroom. She had multiple stab wounds. Her house
had been ransacked.

"Police have not yet identified what was stolen from
the house as she was staying alone," said Mohlala.

DeWet's uncle Robert du Rant on Monday said his
niece was expected to be buried on Friday
afternoon.

"We are currently at the mortuary making all
necessary arrangements for her death certificate. We
hope she will be buried on Friday afternoon unless
something in the investigation comes up. But, for
now, we plan to have the funeral on Friday
afternoon," he said.