Algoa Plastics boss Rob Evans has been denied bail for being untruthful to the court and failing to provide exceptional circumstances for his Schedule 6 offence, Magistrate Deidre Dickson ruled today, July 9, at the Regional Court in Humansdorp.
“After intense cross-examination, you were not truthful,” Dickson told Evans during today’s court proceedings, adding that he had misled the court during his entire bail application.
“You had a duty to be honest with the court,” she stated in the courtroom filled with Vanessa’s family, including her mother, and Evans’ three daughters.
The ruling comes after a two-month-long bail application. He was arrested at his business premises in Newton on May 9 for the murder of his girlfriend, Vanessa Van Rensburg (36), who was found dead in his Oyster Bay home on April 20.
Dickson stated that the 58-year-old businessman did not provide any evidence but rather misled the court and exaggerated his role in Algoa Plastics, where he has a 60% stake.
Dickson told the court, “You decided to remain silent during cross-examination,” arguing that this decision further strengthened the state’s case.
She further explained that during cross-examination, Evans himself revealed that, despite having a 60% stake in Algoa Plastics, the company would not fail without him. “The company can survive without him but it won’t expand,” she noted.
“Algoa Plastics is not Rob Evans. You only have a 60% stake in the company,” Dickson pointed out, adding that Evans was not solely responsible for wages as his brother, Collin handles payroll with two bookkeepers. She also noted that while he claimed responsibility for HR, there’s actually an agency handling those functions.
“You were deliberately deceiving the court about your role in the business,” she concluded. “You exaggerated your role in the company during your cross-examination.”
“Either you killed her, or you know who killed her,” Dickson stated directly to Evans.
Dickson emphasised that GBV has reached epidemic levels in South Africa, and that President Ramaphosa has launched campaigns to address these issues.
The matter has been remanded to August 18 for further investigation.
