Earlier Pienaar's emotional mother had a hard time holding back her tears ahead of the appearance of the man accused of murdering her daughter.

Marlaine Pienaar-Vice, who last month reported her daughter missing, was embraced by police officers and courtgoers ahead of the appearance of Jacobus Oosthuizen.

Oosthuizen, 32, faces charges relating to murder, car theft, stealing a petrol card and fraudulently using the card. During his appearance, State Prosecutor Nathan Johnson said Oosthuizen may face further charges, and confirmed that Nicola had been pregnant. Johnson said Oosthuizen had used three different aliases.

He said Oosthuizen was a flight risk so the State would oppose his release on bail.

But Oosthuizen, through his legal aid lawyer, told the court he would not be applying for bail.

The State believed Pienaar's murder was premeditated.

The matter was postponed to March 17 for further investigation.

Oosthuizen is said to have led officers to his home in Paarl on Sunday, where Pienaar's body was found buried under rubble.

He was arrested in Port Elizabeth on January 21 after he was found driving Pienaar's car.

It was packed with clothes and other items.

Oosthuizen appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court last Friday.

Pienaar, 28, went missing on January 5. Pienaar-Vice reported her daughter missing on January 8 and opened a case of motor vehicle theft, as the car her daughter used was registered in her name.

She previously told News24 that Oosthuizen was a friend of her daughter's and that she had never had any problems with him.

To her, she said, he was "just a normal man" of whom she didn't think badly.

Pienaar's body was cremated on Wednesday and her memorial service is set to be held next Wednesday.

- News24.com