Delmas — The bail application of Adriaan van Tonder has been postponed to 24 March 2026 after a power outage disturbed proceedings at the Delmas Magistrate’s Court on 16 February 2026.
Van Tonder appeared in court for his second bail application following his arrest for the fatal shooting of Calvin Mothoa. The incident occurred on 08 February 2026 in Eloff, Delmas, after a water dispute where Tonder and Mothoa shared a water pump.
Proceedings could not continue as scheduled due to technical challenges caused by power outage, forcing the court to postpone the hearing to allow for further investigations. Van Tonder will remain in custody until the case resumes.
“It’s so hard to see that old man laughing and acting as if he killed a dog. He gets to choose whether or not he wants bail, while I’ve lost the love of my life, the father of my children. Now he acts as if everything is fine; he can eat, sleep, and see his family whenever he wants. But what about us? We can’t see my husband anymore. The pain of waking up to my son crying because his dad isn’t here, and going to bed crying because we can’t do the things we used to do with him, is unbearable. I want that old man to suffer in jail, even if he dies there. I don’t care,” said the deceased’s wife, Hlanganisile Dlongolo.
Members of several political parties attended court to support the deceased’s family and demand for accountability.
The Umkhonto Wesizwe Party in the Victor Khanye Local Municipality expressed dissatisfaction over the postponement.
Bonginkosi Kubeka, Sub-Region Chairperson of the party in Victor Khanye, told Highveld Chronicle: “We are concerned about the court’s lack of electricity, which halted proceedings. We question the decision to postpone the case for further investigation, given that the accused was caught at the scene where he murdered Calvin Mothoa. With evidence in hand, we see no need for additional investigation.”
