Claudette van Rensburg and her sister, Vanessa, shared everything — including a pact that if life ever took one of them, it should rather take them both.
The thought of being apart was too painful to imagine.
But in court on Friday, Claudette will instead face a daunting task without her sister by her side as she faces the man who allegedly separated them forever.
Vanessa’s battered and bruised body was discovered in her boyfriend’s Oyster Bay holiday home during the early hours of April 20.
Weeks later, her boyfriend, Gqeberha businessman Rob Evans, was arrested for her murder.
His formal bail application continues in the Humansdorp Regional Court on Friday.
“We always said we’d go together,” Claudette said.
“We loved each other so much. This was never how it was meant to be.”
Claudette, 37, said she was happy the wheels of justice were turning and that the state’s handling of the case had surpassed her expectations.
“I am very proud and grateful for the hands that have touched Vanessa’s case in terms of the bail application,” she said.
“Regardless of the outcome, I believe the state has done a remarkable job.
“And as a family, we thank them for that.”
Claudette said she and her sister — with only a one-year age gap between them — had occasionally spoken about the day when they would no longer be together.
“The conversation always ended with the same conclusion — it’s best if we go together to spare the other the immense heartache that would come from being apart.
“Then, we would smile and move on to our next conversation or whatever we were doing at the time.”
She said she and Vanessa could communicate with each other without saying a word.
“With one glimpse of eye contact you could tell what the other was thinking.”
She said she would now find comfort in watching Vanessa’s two children grow up.
“I always used to say to Vanessa that it is like I am watching her grow up for the second time through [her daughter]. They are so alike.”
On Friday, shocking images of Vanessa’s bruised body were shown to the court during the fifth day of Evans’ formal bail application.
State prosecutor Bianca Burger told the court that Van Rensburg, 36, was likely beaten to death with a whisky bottle, which was later tossed into the bin.
Evans, 58, faces charges of premeditated murder, kidnapping, attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice.
The Herald
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