As friends and family prepare to say their final goodbyes to slain Bay mother Vanessa van Rensburg, her boyfriend and boss, Rob Evans, said he was “sad and heartbroken” over her brutal killing.
Van Rensburg’s body was found just more than a week ago in the businessman’s Oyster Bay holiday home.
The 36-year-old’s battered and badly bruised body was discovered in the living room of the double-storey Kabeljou Street house during the early hours of Easter Sunday.
It is understood she was beaten and strangled.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said on Monday that a postmortem was performed last week, but that the results would form part of the murder investigation.
Van Rensburg, who lived in Walmer, will be cremated on Wednesday, with a memorial service to be held on the same day.
Her brother, Johan, said the memorial service would take place in Theescombe and that it was by “invitation only”.
On Tuesday night, Evans, 58, said he was heartbroken.
Evans, who owns Algoa Plastics, had been dating Van Rensburg for about two years.
They also worked together.
“I’m very sad and heartbroken,” the father of three said.
“She was such a beautiful person — inside and out.
“She had such a vibrant and bubbly personality and was loved by everyone who knew her.
“She had a heart of gold and always went out of her way to help others. For the last two years, we did everything together.
“She was a respected and well-loved member of [the Algoa Plastics] staff. She is going to be missed like you can’t believe.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to her family and friends.”
Police were called to the house during the early hours of Easter Sunday after her body was discovered by members of a local security company.
Police spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy said at the time that St Francis Bay police had opened a murder docket after responding to a complaint on April 20 at about 1.45am.
“Upon arrival, they found a 36-year-old female lying on the floor.
“She had bruises on her body and was declared dead on the scene by [emergency personnel].”
The Herald understands the frantic call for an ambulance was made at 2.14am.
Van Rensburg grew up in Johannesburg before moving to Gqeberha.
She matriculated from DF Malherbe High School.
She leaves behind two young children, aged four and eight.
Van Rensburg and Evans arrived in Oyster Bay a day before her death.
It has since been established that the couple attended a braai at a friend’s house that evening but that Van Rensburg left the gathering early to head back to Evans’s house.
The Herald
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