TWO men accused of killing a young Boksburg couple and concealing their bodies in a shallow grave appeared in the local court on Tuesday as the victims’ grieving families called for them to remain behind bars.
The bodies of Yudistan Pillay, 25, and his girlfriend, Jessica Rabe, 20, who lived in Van Dyk Park, Boksburg, were discovered wrapped in plastic and buried in a shallow grave on Saturday, after they were reported missing more than a month ago.
Haroon Rashid Adam, 27, and Wessel Hendrick Swart, 27, both of Van Dyk Park, appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court.
They were arrested and charged with murder (premeditated), kidnapping, assault, and defeating the ends of justice.
Magaboke Mohlatlole, the National Prosecuting Authority’s communications officer in Johannesburg, said bail was opposed and the matter was postponed.
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Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, a Gauteng provincial police spokesperson, said on Saturday police officers from Dawn Park SAPS followed up on information about two people who were reported missing in late July 2026.
She said the information led the officers to the Van Dyk Park area at about 6pm.
“A search and recovery operation was launched by the K9 Search and Rescue unit, Forensic Crime Scene Investigators and local police. The bodies were found partially buried in the yard.
“Both bodies were taken to a government mortuary for formal identification and further investigations to determine the cause of death and circumstances surrounding the incident,” she said.
Yudistan’s elder brother, Wesley Pillay, said they did not understand why anyone would want to kill them.
“My brother was kind-hearted and friendly. His girlfriend was still so young. They were harmless. They were just a happy couple with so much ahead of them.”
Pillay said his brother’s employer called him in mid-July, after he did not arrive at work.
Yudistan was a mechanic.
“I went to the house that they were living in, but they were not there. I searched the area, but could not find them. I opened a missing persons’ case at the police station, and then reached out to Wendy Pascoe, a private investigator from Pascoe Investigations, who is associated with Missing in Southern Africa. She started investigating, and it led to their bodies being discovered.
“It was devastating to see how their (alleged) killers brutally assaulted them, then dug up the ground under the house in which they were residing, wrapped their bodies in plastic, buried them, and then put concrete over it. It is also shocking that the people who were arrested and charged were people that they considered friends.”
Pillay said they were demanding bail be denied.
“Whoever is responsible for their deaths must pay for what they did. There must be no bail.”
Rabe’s mother, Aisha Laher, said the accused should not be allowed to hurt any other person or family.
“They are dangerous,” she said.
Laher said her daughter was her princess.
“My heart is broken that they took her away from me in such a brutal manner. She did not deserve to be taken away from us like this. She was my life, and now they have taken away my reason to live. I can’t imagine my life without her. But I am going to fight for justice for my child.”
