This follows the group's brief appearance for bail application in the Hartswater Regional Court on Thursday. The police spokesperson, Mohale Ramatseba, says only the woman who is one the accused, Kgomotso Mpumlwana, will be applying for bail. The other four will remain in custody, with Ramatseba saying there is a possibility that they abandoned their bail application. He says, however, they did not indicate this in court.

This follows the group's first appearance in the same court on 30 July, where they were all remanded in custody. It was reported that on the day of their first appearance that the regional National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Mojalefa Senokoatsane, said the State will oppose bail - given the seriousness of the charges. He said they did not apply for bail as one Mpumlwana (43), first wanted to consult with her lawyer.

All the suspects were arrested on 28 July 2020 for allegedly attacking the family at their house on their smallholding on Sunday, 26 July 2020. The national police spokesperson, Vish Naidoo, said the incident was reported to the police after family members residing in Johannesburg suspected that something was wrong when they were unable to get in touch with their parents and sister.

All three family members could not be found and their two sedans were also missing. Following the police’s 72-hour action plan, the body of the couple's daughter, Elzabie Brand, was found in a field in Taung in the North West, and the bodies of her parents, Danie and Breggie Brand, were found in Takaneng Village near Taung on the same afternoon.

Three of the suspects, Realeboga Manyedi (19); Tshepaone Melato (19) and Mpumlwana were arrested after being spotted in the victim’s car in the area of Pudimoe in the Northern Cape. While Donald Seolesang (20) and Tshepo Visagie (36) were also arrested on the same day.

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