Bock’s murder case transferred to circuit high court

KNYSNA NEWS - The prominent high-profile murder case involving the accused Mervyn Bock has been transferred to the circuit high court sitting in Knysna when he appeared in court on Wednesday 5 August. The matter is scheduled to resume on 23 October for a pre-trial conference.

Bock stands accused of the murder of his former girlfriend, Velia Strydom, whose decomposed body was discovered near the Red Bridge just outside Knysna on 12 December 2025.

Neatly dressed in black and sporting a clean-shaven beard and haircut, Bock briefly appeared in Court A, where an indictment was handed to his defence attorney, Daan Dercksen. The State informed the court that the trial date would be determined during the pre-trial conference.

Dercksen raised no objections to the transfer and indicated that he was satisfied with the proceedings. He added that his previous concerns regarding the repeated postponements in the matter had now been adequately addressed.

Bock’s bail application was previously denied, and he was once again remanded in custody pending his next court appearance.

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The entrance to the Knysna Magistrate’s Court was lined with posters bearing messages of support and calls for justice. Photo: Rozano Alie