Second man linked to author's murder due in court
A 34 -year-old man is expected to make his first appearance in connection with the murder of acclaimed local author, Winnie Rust.
|||Cape Town - The teenager arrested in connection with the murder of acclaimed local author, Winnie Rust, will spend the next week behind bars until his next court appearance later this month.
Nigel Plaatjies, 18, made a brief first appearance in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Monday where he was supported by his family who refused to speak to the media.
Police also arrested another man inconnection with Rust’s murder at the weekend.
The 34 -year-old man is expected to make his first appearance on Tuesday.
Rust, 77, was found on the kitchen floor by her husband Matthew Rust , 87, in their home in Third Avenue, Uitsig on Wednesday.
The murder sent shock waves through the Overberg town, with community members struggling to come to term with Rust’s death.
Rust was a prominent member in the Wellington area. She wrote the books Margie of the Seminary, Martha, Countess of Stamford and Trek, among others, and had been short-listed for at least one major South African award.
She was also involved with the Wellington museum and had contributed to the recording of the history of the area.
Matthew reportedly woke up from the sound of the doorbell at the front gate of their house just after 3pm on Wednesday.
It was when he went to investigate who had rung the bell that Matthew discovered his wife dead on the kitchen floor.
Police said Rust had bruises on her face, and her hands and feet had been tied.
Plaatjies was arrested on Sunday.
Several items found in his possession had linked him to the murder.
Residents previously said they believed Rust’s murder could be connected to the burgeoning drug problem in the town.
Wellington resident Katrin Steytler, who knew Rust well, said her murder was not the first incident of its kind in the area and that several murders had happened close to each other over the past few years.
Plaatjies is due back in court next Tuesday.
gadeeja.abbas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus