Mpumalanga High Court Postpones Hillary Gardee Murder Trial After Defence Requests New Lawyer
- The murder trial of Hilary Gardee (28) was postponed at the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela on Tuesday, November 18, 2025
- The daughter of EFF Deputy President Godrich Gardee was tragically murdered outside Nelspruit in 2022
- Rassie Nkune, who is charged with the murder of Hillary Gardee, changed legal representatives, prompting a postponement
Source: Facebook
Mpumalanga- The trial of Hillary Gardee, slain daughter of EFF Deputy President Godrich Gardee resumed at the Mpumalanga High Court on Tuesday (November 18,2025). The case was postponed until December 12, 2025.
Hillary Gardee was found murdered near a timber plantation outside Nelspruit on April 29, 2022.
The trial has since had various twists and turns and an alleged confession from Nkune, who faces 12 charges of kidnapping and murder.
EFF updates the public on recent case developments
In a video post on X, the Mpumalanga branch of the Economic Freedom Fighters briefed the media on the development of the case.
Speaking to the media Provincial Chairperson Commissar Collen Sedibe said the case was postponed because Khune wanted a change of legal representation to the lawyer who is familiar with his case.
"We know he is guilty, as according to him he is a suspect for the murder of our daughter."
Nkune is currently serving two life sentences for the murder of his girlfriend and her sister in the same year.
A father mourns his daughter
Source: Twitter
Among those in attendance was Godrich Gardee, who previously posted an emotional tribute to his daughter on X, expressing that he has yet to fully mourn her loss.
South Africans flooded his comment sending words of encouragement and comfort
@Shaded_Blac said:
You're at peace my sister Hillary, far away from the monsters that crawl the earth, monsters that took your life. Sorry that your life ended that way, you didn't deserve it. Be an angel of light to your kid, to your family sis. Strength to the family
@BoyJacobs2 commented:
May her Soul continue to Rest In Eternal Peace.
@Collen822415 stated:
One day justice will prevail, May her soul continue to RIP.
@AndriesMagagul3 said:
Yah, the pain of being a real father to your daughter without getting closure, may she continue to rest in internal peace remember to take care of your health too, my brother.
@SaveS12943 commented:
Words of sympathy feel inadequate in expressing grief and sorrow for a loss so great MHSRIP
Spotlight on gender-based violence in South Africa
The National EFF shared a post on their X account regarding the case, highlighting the ongoing epidemic of Gender Based Violence and Femicide in the country. The Gardee case serves as another stark reminder of the GBV crisis as media outlets have shown solidarity by turning purple in support of the call from Women for Change. The organisation called for women in SA to raise awareness for GBV and Femicide ahead of the G20. The group has organised a G20 Womens Shutdown, encouraging all women to withdraw from the economy on Friday, November 21, 2025.
Three times Briefly News reported on the Hillary Gardee case:
- The body of 28 year old Hillary Gardee who was reported missing since Friday, April 29, 2022 was found outside Nelspruit sending shockwaves throughout the country. Search teams in Mpumalanga had offered a R100k reward for information on her disappearance.
- Friends and family gathered in Mpumalanga to pay respects to the slain Hillary Gardee. The funeral was a star studded event, showing the immense support the case drew nationally.
- Mpumalanga Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela announced that the police had made a crucial breakthrough in the case, arresting a 39 year old man near the Eswatini border.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
