The Thembalethu Regional Court has postponed the second bail application of Johannes Jacobs and Gert Bezuidenhout, who are accused of murdering Mark Lifman, to Wednesday, 28 January.
According to the George Herald, the postponement was granted on Friday, 16 January, after legal representatives indicated they were not ready to proceed with written submissions.
READ | Who was Mark Lifman: A look into his life and controversial legacy
Court officials were prepared to continue with the hearing, but some attorneys had only prepared verbal arguments and had not submitted written heads of argument.
The magistrate offered the legal teams a choice: proceed verbally, with court recordings to be transcribed later, or submit written heads of argument to ensure the submissions are formally placed on record.
The defence opted for written submissions, which will be read into the record on the next court date.
Accused Remain in Custody
Jacobs and Bezuidenhout remain in solitary confinement at Helderstroom Correctional Facility in Caledon, where their detention conditions and health have become central to their renewed bid for bail.
The pair previously had a bail application denied in the George Magistrate’s Court, followed by an unsuccessful appeal in the High Court last year.
Health and Detention Conditions Raised
In an affidavit read into the record by his legal representative, Johannes Jacobs told the court that he has experienced mood swings, depression and anxiety while in solitary confinement. He testified that he has lost 25kg since his detention.
Jacobs further alleged that he was forced to use bleach to treat a wound after correctional officers allegedly refused to provide medical swabs. He also claimed that a nurse informed him his blood pressure was high, a condition he said he did not suffer from prior to his incarceration.
He criticised the conditions under which he and his co-accused are being held, arguing that they are being treated as though they have already been convicted.
Bezuidenhout Cites Family and Employment Prospects
Gert Bezuidenhout told the court that the food provided in prison is not nutritious and raised concerns about his overall wellbeing.
He testified that, if released on bail, he would live with his parents, as he and his wife sold their home following his arrest. According to Bezuidenhout, he personally received approximately R161 000 from the sale of the property.
An affidavit from his wife was also read into the record, appealing to the court to grant her husband bail.
The court was informed that a Cape Town-based waste management company has offered Bezuidenhout a position as an area manager should he be released.
Background to the Case
Mark Lifman was shot and killed outside the Garden Route Mall in November 2024.
It is believed that Lifman was in the Garden Route town at the time to play golf at Fancourt.
He was alone when he was shot, which was a rare occurrence as he always had heavily-armed bodyguards – often as many as five – with him when he moved around in public.
Jacobs and Bezuidenhout were arrested later that day near Uniondale, following a large-scale manhunt.
The matter is expected to resume on 28 January, when the defence will formally place its written arguments before the court.
