Karin van Aardt murder case postponed again as forensic reports are still pending
Grandmother Karin van Aardt was stabbed to death while on her way to visist her family.
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The case against three men accused of murdering Karin van Aardt will only be heard in May again as key forensic reports remain outstanding.
Ndiyabulela Vayi, Thando Nkolongo and Yamnkela Mdunyelwa appeared briefly in the Bishop Lavis Magistrates' Court last week, where the matter was postponed to May 6. The trio previously withdrew their bail applications on December 19, 2025, and remain in custody.
According to Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority, the postponement is due to outstanding forensic evidence, including the postmortem report, a chain of statements and DNA analysis.
Van Aardt, a retired teacher from Mbombela, had travelled to Cape Town with her husband, Herman, on December 5 last year. The couple were travelling to Vredenburg for their grandchild’s eighth birthday celebration when they were attacked.
The State has alleged that the accused lay in wait near Jakes Gerwel Drive, close to Cape Town International Airport, and attacked the couple’s rental vehicle when it stopped at a red traffic light in what was described as a smash-and-grab incident. Van Aardt was fatally stabbed.
Her killing sparked renewed debate about safety along the airport corridor and sections of the N2, where motorists have long raised concerns about smash-and-grab attacks.
In the weeks following the incident, civic groups and residents renewed calls for a security wall along parts of the route. The City of Cape Town confirmed it was considering plans for a security barrier near the airport, with cost estimates reported at about R180 million and subject to budget processes.
However, the South African National Roads Agency Limited said it had not been consulted on the proposal and noted that responsibility for different sections of the national road falls under varying jurisdictions.
The accused remain in custody. The matter resumes on May 6.