The chilling details of a family tragedy that has left the community of Bellville South in a state of profound disbelief continue to unfold in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court. Aletta Rose, a 63-year-old woman with a previous conviction for murder, stood in the dock this Monday, accused of the unthinkable: the beheading and dismemberment of her own 79-year-old sister, Constance “Connie” Scholtz. In a move that has raised further questions about her state of mind, Rose has flatly refused to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, even as the gruesome nature of the crime suggests a deeply disturbed individual.
Rose, dressed in a pink jacket and tracksuit pants, appeared markedly different from her initial court appearance. While she had previously seemed confused and disoriented, she was now described as calm and composed. Throughout the brief proceedings, she stood chewing gum—until a court orderly intervened and told her to stop—and stared blankly ahead as the media's cameras flashed around her. At one point, she reached into her jacket and pulled out a piece of paper, clutching it just as she had during her first time in the dock.
The court heard from Rose’s Legal Aid lawyer that she has no intention of being referred for a mental health evaluation. Furthermore, she has decided not to apply for bail, ensuring she remains behind bars as the investigation into her sister's death intensifies.
Rose’s lawyer said it would ultimately be the State’s decision to request the evaluation of the accused’s mental health, but said that Rose simply did not want to be referred.
The State, however, is not yet ready to force the issue. Prosecutors indicated that they are still waiting for several critical documents, including the final post-mortem report and key witness statements, before they can officially request a psychiatric referral.
The State said it was not yet in a position to request such an evaluation, citing outstanding documents, including the post-mortem report and key witness statements.
The murder of Connie Scholtz is one of the most brutal cases the area has seen in recent memory. Scholtz was killed inside her own home in Bellville South earlier this month, during a period when Rose was visiting her following the death of their brother. The scene was so horrific that even seasoned police officers were seen throwing up as they carried out bags containing body parts.
Neighbours who witnessed the aftermath described a scene of absolute carnage. The brutality of the act—the beheading and dismemberment of a pensioner—has left the quiet street where Scholtz lived for years in a state of mourning.
Among those present in the gallery on Monday was Scholtz’s only son, Menno Morne Rose. He sat just metres away from the woman accused of murdering his mother, frequently shaking his head in apparent disbelief as the details of the case were discussed. After the case was postponed to 5 May for further investigation, a visibly shaken Menno declined to give a full interview but made a brief, emotional plea to the public.
He said his mother would be buried over the weekend before police escorted him out of the building. He declined to comment further but asked the public to keep the family in their prayers.
As the investigation continues behind the scenes, disturbing details about Aletta Rose’s past have begun to emerge. This is not her first brush with a murder charge. In 1996, Rose was arrested for the murder of her brother-in-law—the husband of another one of her sisters. She was sentenced in 1997 to six years in prison, of which she served three. That killing reportedly occurred after a "tiff" between the deceased man and Rose’s husband.
Sources close to the current case have described Rose as a "very intelligent woman," though they declined to elaborate further on her background or the potential motives behind the latest attack. What is known is that a "very sharp object," believed to be the weapon used to kill and dismember Scholtz, has been seized by police for forensic analysis.
A source close to the case described Rose as “a very intelligent woman,” but declined to elaborate, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
The State has confirmed that while they do not yet have the full details of her previous 1997 conviction, they are aware she served time for murder. The fact that she was able to commit such a similar, albeit far more gruesome, act decades later has sparked a debate about the effectiveness of the justice system and the rehabilitation of violent offenders.
For the family and friends of Connie Scholtz, the focus now turns to the upcoming funeral and the long wait for justice. As Rose remains in custody, the community is left to wonder what could have driven a woman to turn so violently on the sister she was supposed to be comforting in a time of grief.
The case of the Bellville beheading will return to court in May, but for now, the image of Aletta Rose standing calmly in the dock, chewing gum while accused of dismembering her own flesh and blood, remains a haunting testament to a family bond broken in the most horrific way imaginable.
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