A Mthatha dealership principal accused of the murder of his girlfriend is expected to continue his bail application in the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
The 57-year-old Mauritz Andries Rheeder is a former police officer and self-proclaimed pastor who is charged with the murder of 51-year-old former detective Riana Nel.
The case has taken a deeply unsettling turn, not only because of the brutality involved, but because of the carefully curated public image Rheeder maintained — one of a grieving partner, devout Christian, and upstanding citizen.
Just days before Nel’s death, Rheeder published a dramatic Facebook letter addressed to the President, claiming to have found his partner bloodied and lifeless, and decrying the state of crime in South Africa.
“This past Sunday, I came home to a scene that no person should ever witness… My partner — beaten so brutally I thought she was dead.”
“Blood on the floor. Blood on the walls. Silence where love used to live,” he wrote.
He then directly addressed President Cyril Ramaphosa with an appeal:
“If there is a chance to leave — if other countries are taking refugees from this forgotten war we live in — I will go. Because I do not want revenge. I want freedom. I want peace. And I no longer believe South Africa can give me that under your leadership.”
“If I can leave this country, I will.”
But that emotional post now appears to be part of what investigators believe was an attempt to control the narrative, even before the alleged truth emerged.
According to police spokesperson Captain Welile Matyolo, the incident dates back to 31 May, when Nel allegedly visited Rheeder at the dealership in Mthatha where he works. It was there, police say, that the assault took place.
The following day, Rheeder drove her to hospital and allegedly claimed unknown assailants had attacked her.
It is further alleged that on Friday, 6 June, Rheeder visited her in hospital, bringing refreshments. Later that same day, Nel’s condition deteriorated sharply, and she died.
“Based on preliminary investigations and utilising available electronic evidence, the 57-year-old man was arrested on Friday evening”
While early suspicions pointed to possible poisoning, police confirmed that no toxicology reports were conducted, as the postmortem revealed severe assault injuries as the cause of death.
In court on Tuesday, Rheeder’s lawyer, Lindelani Malala, read an affidavit in which the accused denied the murder charge, saying he intends to plead not guilty.
He said he is undergoing chemotherapy for prostate cancer, and argued that incarceration would cause financial hardship for his children.
But state prosecutor Yolisa Mtuze, reading from an affidavit by the investigating officer, opposed bail, saying Rheeder has no meaningful relationship with his children and that they would not be prejudiced if he remained behind bars.
Mtuze also pointed to Rheeder’s Facebook post, where he wrote about wanting to leave the country.
She argued he could also intimidate witnesses because of his senior position at the dealership.
NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali confirmed that the matter was postponed to Friday to continue bail arguments.
Nel’s family is still coming to terms with her sudden death. A cousin told our newsroom that the two had only been dating for a few months and that Rheeder presented himself as a kind, God-fearing man.
While at SAPS, Nel was stationed at the Brixton Murder and Robbery unit with her father.
Her body has since been released to her family, who will have a memorial service for her in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
