Prosecutor makes bold move after high-profile case

Three months ago she was happily doing her job, bringing justice to the small town of Humansdorp, when a murder docket landed on her desk.

Now, Bianca Burger has become a household name as members of the public stop her in restaurants to thank her for standing up for women.

But while Burger, 32, successfully opposed the bail application of murder accused Gqeberha businessman Rob Evans — quickly rising as a “prosecutor to watch” — she has hung up her cloak to open her own law firm.

Born in Welkom in the Free State, at the start of high school she moved to Cape Town with her mother.

She said she had always dreamed of studying at Stellenbosch University, so after matric, the mother and daughter made another move to the university town, uncertain of her path but filled with ambition.

“As a little girl, I wanted to be a lawyer. Then I flirted with the idea of medicine,” she recalled.

“But 12 years of study felt too long — so law became my second choice, and ultimately the right one.

“If you ask me what else I’d do today, the answer is nothing.

“I get paid to argue — and that’s fantastic!”

But law, she stressed, was an ever-evolving field.

“You can never know everything about law. You’re constantly learning — no-one can claim to know it all.”

After graduating, she and her mother relocated to Jeffreys Bay without a concrete plan.

“We just felt it was time for something different,” she said.

She began her articles in Gqeberha and later completed them in J-Bay.

It was during this time that the late Christo Swanepoel become a pivotal influence in her life.

“That’s also when I realised I loved criminal law more than civil litigation. It just made sense to me — it came naturally.”

Once her articles were completed, her career took off.

“When you walk into court, it’s an even playing field. We all have access to the same tools — it’s how you use them that counts. Preparation is what sets you apart.”

Burger joined the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) through its aspirant prosecutor programme, initially intending to stay only a year before returning to work with Swanepoel.

But when he died during the Covid-19 pandemic, her path shifted.

She stayed, rising steadily through the ranks and developing a particular passion for prosecuting environmental crimes.

“I think a piece of my heart will always belong to prosecuting,” she said.

“Perlemoen poaching is a massive issue in this region, but people don’t realise how syndicates operate — how they fuel other crimes.”

With guidance from now-retired senior state advocate Buks Coetzee — a mentor she still calls for advice — Burger ventured into new legal territory.

“I wanted to find a way to stop these syndicates before they could destroy our oceans,” she said.

Her efforts led to one of the first successful prosecutions in the Eastern Cape for conspiracy to contravene the Marine Living Resources Act.

She officially joined the NPA on contract in 2021 and became a permanent member in 2022.

What was meant to be a brief stint in Humansdorp became a permanent placement — and a beloved one.

“I loved it here. Small-town courts are great because you get to do a bit of everything — from bail applications to maintenance matters and traffic disputes. It teaches you so much.

“As a prosecutor, you become the voice of the community,” Burger said.

“If something goes wrong in court, the blame often falls on you.

“But then you give it everything you’ve got, argue your little heart out — and when you win, and the victim or the victim’s family hugs you with gratitude, it makes it all worth it.”

One of her deepest passions lies in tackling gender-based violence.

“Since the start of my career, I’ve seen these cases increase — and something needs to change.

“As a prosecutor, you speak on behalf of the victim. You’re standing in front of their abuser, speaking for someone who’s broken, often physically and emotionally. That responsibility is enormous.”

She said local prosecutors Nita Mentz and Johan Jansen had also inspired her.

Between November 2024 and April 2025, she acted in Mentz’s position as control prosecutor — a time when the seed for private practice was planted.

“Until then, I honestly thought I’d die with the NPA.”

But dealing with violent and disturbing cases daily takes a toll.

Asked how she managed to separate her work from her personal life, she answered: “To me, it’s a job.

“When you put on your robe, you enter an arena where only the law matters.

“Emotions stay outside. Justice may not always align with what you feel, but justice must remain objective.”

Still, some cases linger.

The Paradise Beach rape case, though not hers, haunts her.

“We all felt part of that case,” she said.

A culpable homicide case also left a deep impression.

“It was the family’s grief I’ll never forget.”

Then came her most high-profile case, opposing bail for Evans, accused of killing his girlfriend, Vanessa van Rensburg.

“I was told the day before he made his first court appearance that I’d be doing the case,” she said.

“I didn’t expect the media attention. But once I stand to argue, I shut it all out — my focus is the defence, the accused and the magistrate.”

While she was unable to comment on the merits of the matter, she said the facts presented by the state were so brutal, that when the matter finally concluded, she had to take a moment to sit back and reflect on the past two months.

Despite the pressure, she believes the media coverage is vital.

“South Africans need to know what’s happening in our courts. People fixate on the high-profile cases, but there are brutal crimes happening every day.”

When bail was ultimately denied in the Evans case, the weight of the past two months hit her.

“It was a rollercoaster with all the delays. But I was Vanessa’s voice — someone who couldn’t speak for herself.

“The relief I felt when bail was denied is indescribable.”

The win also came at a time when all eyes were on the NPA after the bungle with Pastor Timothy Omotoso’s human trafficking case.

“People had come up to me before the bail application to say ‘we are here to see how the prosecution is going to bugger this up’.

“They had no faith in the justice system.

“Afterwards, they said their minds had been changed.”

Public reaction, too, was overwhelming.

“I’d be sitting in a restaurant and strangers would come hug me and thank me.

“I didn’t even realise people knew my name.”

The recent murder of New Brighton prosecutor Tracy Brown also shook her to her core.

“I called a friend and said, ‘That could have been me.’

“I had only met Tracy once, but she was an incredible prosecutor.

“We’re all one big family at the NPA — that’s what made leaving so hard.

“I don’t cry often, but the day I left, I cried so much I had to pull over to the side of the road.

“I had just said goodbye to my family.”

On July 16, Bianca Burger Inc was officially opened.

“It all happened quickly,” she said.

“I never wanted my own firm just because I watched Suits or anything like that.

“It just hit me — people in SA need lawyers who truly fight for justice.”

Now, she is focused on giving back to her community.

“The experience I gained as a prosecutor makes me a better attorney. I want to share that knowledge.

“It feels right. The moment I made the decision, I felt peace.”

Her new practice will span multiple legal areas, with a primary focus on criminal law.

“I’m not limiting myself. I’ve already taken on civil matters and hope to get into children’s court eventually.”

When she is not in court, Burger is a different woman entirely and spends her time deep-sea fishing, exploring the bush, and getting her fingers dirty in her vegetable garden.

She is also a social darts player.

“I live by the saying work like a captain, play like a pirate, because balance is important.”

Evans is appealing against the bail ruling. He maintains his innocence.