Gqeberha businessman Robert Evans denied bail in girlfriend's premeditated murder case
Prominent businessman Robert Evans (58) has been denied bail two months after his arrest for the alleged premeditated murder of his girlfriend, Vanessa van Rensburg (36).
The bail application took place at the Humansdorp Magistrates' Court.
Van Rensburg, a mother of two minor children and an employee at the business co-owned by Evans, was tragically discovered lifeless at his holiday home in Oyster Bay on Easter Sunday, April 20.
Reports from law enforcement indicate that she had succumbed to multiple injuries.
Prosecutor Bianca Burger was resolute in her opposition to Evans's bail bid, arguing that his financial resources present a substantial flight risk.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
2 days ago
- eNCA
African armies turn to drones with devastating civilian impact
The Easter period usually offers a rare respite in Gedeb, in Ethiopia's deeply troubled north, but on April 17 death rained from the skies in this sleepy town caught up in a war between rebels and the army. On this important holiday for Ethiopian Orthodox and Protestant Christians, many families had gathered in the morning to repair the local primary school. But out of the blue, shortly before 11:00 am, "a drone fired on the crowd and pulverised many people right in front of my eyes", a resident told AFP. Ethiopia and many other African nations are increasingly turning to drones as a low-cost means of waging war, often with mixed military results but devastating consequences for civilian populations. Last year, Ethiopia carried out a total of 54 drone strikes, compared to 62 attacks in Mali, 82 in Burkina Faso and 266 in Sudan, according to data collected by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a US-based monitor. According to one of two Gedeb residents contacted by AFP, the strike killed "at least" 50 people, and according to the second, more than 100 -- a figure corroborated by several local media outlets. It is one of the deadliest in a series of drone attacks since the conflict began in August 2023, pitting the Ethiopian army against the Fano, the traditional "self-defence" militias of the Amhara ethnic group. A shoe seller at the scene, whose nephew was killed instantly, also blamed an armed drone that continued to "hover in the air" some 20 minutes after the strike. "The sight was horrific: there were heads, torsos and limbs flying everywhere and seriously injured people screaming in pain," he recalled. Ethiopian authorities have not released any information about this attack in Amhara, where the security situation makes some areas very difficult to access and communications are subject to significant restrictions. The Ethiopian army's use of drones, which began during the bloody Tigray War (2020-2022), has since spread to the Amhara and Oromia regions amid multiple insurgencies. In the Amhara region alone, now the hardest-hit, at least 669 people have been killed in more than 70 drone strikes since 2023, according to ACLED data analysed by AFP. - Low-cost - Remotely piloted aircraft used for reconnaissance and strikes -- low-cost technologies now ubiquitous in current conflicts and particularly in Ukraine -- are generating massive interest in Africa. Some 30 African governments have acquired drones, according to data cross-referenced by AFP from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) "Military Balance" and the Center for a New American Security's Drone Proliferation Dataset. For decades, wars in Africa had been fought on land, conducted primarily by light and mobile infantry units. "Drones offer sub-Saharan African militaries more affordable and flexible access to air power, which has been out of reach until now due to its cost and operational complexity," said Djenabou Cisse, a west African security specialist at the Foundation for Strategic Research. Countries like China, Turkey and Iran have the advantage of selling drones "without attaching any political conditionality related to respect for human rights", she added. Among African military commands, the most popular is undoubtedly the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone, which, along with its big brother, the Akinci, has dethroned the Chinese Wing Loong in recent years. The TB2 made a notable appearance in 2019 in Libya, the first African theatre of drone warfare, between the Ankara-backed Government of National Accord and its eastern rival, Marshal Haftar, equipped with Chinese weapons supplied by the United Arab Emirates. The following year, its deployment in the Karabakh region during the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and then in Ukraine starting in 2022, boosted its popularity. AFP/File | Adem ALTAN Orders soared and waiting lists grew. While contract details are kept secret, experts consulted by AFP estimate that a "system" of three drones costs nearly $6 million -- significantly less than the several tens of millions for a fighter jet or combat helicopter. This offsets its rather average performance, with a range limited to 150 kilometres. The TB2 is produced by private company Baykar, headed by the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It "is now an integral part of Turkey's foreign policy, whose strategy is to export its military products worldwide," said Batu Coskun, a researcher at the Sediq Institute in Tripoli. The growing footprint of Turkish drones in Africa is partly due to the fact that unlike the West, Ankara is free from the cumbersome export control procedures for military equipment. "It's essentially at the president's discretion," he said. - Turkish military cooperation - After severing ties with former colonial ruler France, the military regimes of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have turned to Turkish drones to attack jihadist fighters as well as separatists. In December last year, the Malian army eliminated a leader and several members of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a pro-independence coalition, in a drone attack. In November 2023, drones played a decisive role in the recapture of the northern Malian city of Kidal from predominantly Tuareg rebels. A senior Malian officer praised the "discretion" of Turkish military cooperation. "When you pay for military equipment in the West, it has to go through political agreements, negotiations," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "With Turkey, we have a speed that we don't have elsewhere, not even in Russia or China," two countries that also supply military equipment, he added. According to a young Malian surveillance drone pilot, who also wished to remain anonymous, the Turkish aircraft "are easy to pilot, which means we don't need a long training period". In Chad, four Turkish drones have replaced French fighter jets at the forward bases they occupied until N'Djamena ended its military cooperation agreements with France at the end of 2024. The latter had repeatedly provided air support to help the Chadian government halt the advance of rebels threatening the capital. AFP/File | STRINGER The capital N'Djamena is equipped with only five Russian Sukhoi aircraft and as many ageing Mi-24 helicopters. Contrary to Franco-Chadian relations, "there is no military cooperation agreement (between N'Djamena and Ankara) but a trade agreement that allows us to acquire military equipment", a Chadian officer told AFP. Turks are present to provide technical assistance and the former French bases are "entirely in the hands of the Chadian military", the same source added. This flexible cooperation on drones clearly illustrates the desire of some African leaders to "assert their sovereignty and greater strategic autonomy". said researcher Djenabou Cisse. - 'Extreme fear' - On the ground, however, the tactical and strategic gains from the use of drones do not always materialise, several experts said. "Drones alone cannot defeat an adversary," Cisse said, adding: "We saw this in Libya, where both sides had sophisticated drones, and more recently in Sudan, where each side uses drones, but with very unequal capabilities." Planet Labs PBC/AFP | - "Not only have these countries failed to fully stabilise but conflicts have often become entrenched or even escalated," the researcher added. Drones are proving especially decisive in open terrain, when the enemy is unable to disperse and hide as is the case with jihadists in the Sahel, according to a detailed study by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). In Ethiopia, they helped turn the tide of the conflict in Tigray at a key moment, giving a decisive advantage to federal forces without, however, securing a definitive victory. In the summer of 2021, a large column of Tigray rebel forces, which reached within 200 kilometres of Addis Ababa and threatened to seize the capital, was stopped by the arsenal of drones deployed by the government. Analysis of satellite images by Dutch peace organisation PAX at several Ethiopian air bases confirmed the presence of TB2s and, more recently, the Akinci, as well as Chinese Wing Loongs and Iranian Mohajer-6s. These drones have "significantly increased the Ethiopian army's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, as they can prowl for nearly 24 hours, track enemy movements, identify their positions, provide targeting information or directly strike targets," Wim Zwijnenburg, a drone specialist for PAX, told AFP. While the fighting subsequently focused primarily on Tigray, it continued into 2022 and high tensions remain in the region despite the conclusion of a fragile peace agreement, while other hotbeds of violent insurrection have spread to Amhara and Oromia. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his peace efforts with neighbouring Eritrea, is now regularly accused of indiscriminate abuses against the population. "The drones continued to target civilians despite the presence of sophisticated sensor systems, high-definition cameras and night vision," supposedly allowing for better threat identification, said Zwijnenburg, deploring "a lack of operator training or, in the worst case, a deliberate decision". In Gedeb, the small Amhara town targeted during Passover, residents contacted by AFP said there had been no fighting in the area in the run-up to the attack. They live in constant fear now. "We are ready to flee to the bush at any moment in the event of a sudden drone strike," said one of them. "We live in extreme fear."
Daily Maverick
14-07-2025
- Daily Maverick
Fresh murder charge for Gqeberha gun dealer as State adds to explosive case
As she prepares for another bail hearing, Karen Webb, the firearms dealer at the centre of a growing arms scandal, now faces a second murder charge — this time linked to the 2024 killing of a man in Gqeberha, allegedly involving a firearm missing from her former premises. Just as it seemed things were looking up for a Gqeberha firearms dealer facing a laundry list of criminal charges, the State brought more cases against her when she returned to the city's magistrates' court on Monday, including another murder charge. As Karen Webb is set to bring a new bail application before the Gqeberha Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, investigating officers came to court on Monday with two new dockets to add to her ever-expanding list of charges. The 41-year-old owner of the now defunct Webb's Arms has been in custody since her arrest over a string of firearms-related charges in February 2024. Among the charges against her are theft, fraud, firearm smuggling, providing firearms to persons not licensed to possess them, and murder. The saga began in 2019, when Webb provided storage for another firearms dealer, Chris Evans, after his business, Aquila Arms, collapsed. Evans' stock was kept on the Webb's Arms premises, but in a separate safe from Webb's stock. In 2023, firearms recovered from crime scenes in Nelson Mandela Bay, the Western Cape and Gauteng were linked to Evans' cache — and, crucially, to weapons stored at Webb's premises. Evans later accused Webb of stealing weapons from his safe and selling them illegally. She was later accused of illegally moving her dealer stock when her business closed, to premises in the Western Cape without notifying the police. A charge of murder was also brought against her after a .38-special Smith & Wesson revolver, alleged to be from Evans' missing stock, was linked to the October 2022 death of Andrew Lamont in Kariega. Webb has been in custody at North End prison since February 2024. Her initial bid for bail was dismissed, but succeeded on appeal in the Makhanda High Court in June. She was granted bail of R10,000. However, she remained behind bars as more charges had been brought against her before the appeal. When she returned to court on Monday, the State brought another murder charge against her. While details of the case were not discussed in open court, it is believed that the charges related to the death of a man in Gqeberha in December 2024. The murder weapon was another of Evans's firearms that went missing from Webb's premises. This charge will be added to Webb's ongoing case and will form part of the pending bail proceedings. Another charge of theft was brought against her by her ex-husband, Arthur Webb, accusing her of selling household goods belonging to him, including furniture, after their divorce several years ago. It is unclear at this stage whether this charge will be added to the other charges before the court. The case has caused alarm across the country. Hundreds of firearms once held in storage at Webb's Arms have reportedly ended up at crime scenes. Police say many of the weapons were used in robberies and gang-related shootings, and 400 firearms are still unaccounted for. DM
The Citizen
09-07-2025
- The Citizen
Eastern Cape businessman denied bail in girlfriend's murder case
Robert Evans faces charges of premeditated murder, murder, kidnapping, and defeating or obstructing the course of justice. A prominent Gqeberha businessman charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend has been denied bail. Appearing in the Humansdorp Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, the prosecution successfully opposed Robert Evans' bail bid following several proceedings. Evans is also facing charges of murder, kidnapping, and defeating or obstructing the course of justice, following the alleged killing of 36-year-old Vanessa van Rensburg. Van Rensburg's body was discovered in Evans' holiday home in Oyster Bay in the early hours of Easter Sunday on 20 April. According to the South African Police Service (Saps), she had succumbed to multiple injuries. Saps and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation – also known as Hawks – arrested the 53-year-old at his business premises in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, on 9 May. National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said Van Rensburg – a mother of two minor children and an employee at the business co-owned by Evans – had reportedly started dating him in May 2023. ALSO READ: WATCH: Gqeberha duo remain in custody for daylight murder of taxi operator Bail proceedings 'During the bail proceedings in the Humansdorp Magistrate's Court, Prosecutor Bianca Burger argued strongly against Evans's release,' Tyali said. 'She submitted that the accused, due to his financial means, posed a significant flight risk, and pointed to material contradictions and inconsistencies in his version of events,' he added. He said Burger also highlighted attempts by Evans to exaggerate his role in the company's operations and misled the court about the potential collapse of the business should he remain in custody. Case resumes in August 'The court agreed with the prosecution's submissions and found that the accused had failed to demonstrate exceptional circumstances warranting his release on bail.' The court further acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations in the context of the country's ongoing struggle with gender-based violence. Evans' case has been remanded to 18 August for further investigations. NOW READ: KZN man, girlfriend, and toddler found dead in double-murder suicide case
