Plettenberg Bay murder accused Bevan van Druten a no-show in court
· The South African
Bevan van Druten, who is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Nicky van Heerden, failed to appear in the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
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According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, the matter was postponed in absentia to 5 July 2026 for further investigation.
According to the Knysna-Plett Herald, unconfirmed reports suggest Van Druten’s absence may have been linked to damage to the court building.
January murder
The case stems from the death of Van Heerden in January this year at Strandmeer Private Estate near the Keurbooms River in Plettenberg Bay.
Sources close to the investigation had confirmed that neighbours had reported hearing a woman screaming somewhere on the property late on Sunday night, 18 January, prompting calls to police.
A private security company also reportedly contacted authorities repeatedly – allegedly every 20 minutes – as security officers were unable to enter the premises without police assistance.
Police arrived at the estate at about 00:20 on Monday morning, where Van Heerden’s lifeless body was discovered next to a bakkie believed to belong to Bevan van Druten.
The vehicle was found on dunes forming part of the property.
Van Heerden had sustained multiple injuries and was declared dead on the scene by medical personnel.
Search operation
The discovery sparked a large-scale search operation involving drones and search dogs.
Van Druten was allegedly later found hiding on the property after stepping on underbrush, which alerted nearby police officers to his location.
He was reportedly cornered before he could flee to a neighbouring property and subsequently handed himself over to police.
At the time, police spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed that the circumstances surrounding Van Heerden’s death were under investigation.