A man from the quiet seaside suburb of Strand, who handed himself over the police after he allegedly slit his girlfriend’s throat in a car full of people, abandoned his bail application on Friday.

Charles Appolis was scheduled to appear in the Strand Magistrate’s Court on Friday but his case was removed from the court roll after he dropped his bid for bail. Appolis faces murder charges for the killing of his girlfriend Nadia Lotz.

The 32-year-old mother of three was killed last Saturday at around 6pm.

Weekend Argus understands that Lotz was in the passenger seat while one of her friends was driving. Appolis was sitting right behind Lotz when he leaned forward and allegedly slit her throat. He apparently played her favourite song in the car when he struck.

The driver kept on driving while Lotz opened her door and jumped out. She collapsed on the sidewalk and died on the scene.

Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the incident occurred in the Southfork residential area in Strand.

Van Wyk said the accused handed himself over to the police the same day.

On Friday, Lotz's family went to court for Appolis' second court appearance, but upon arrival they were informed that he will no longer appear, as his bid for bail was dropped.

The family also staged a protest outside the court, saying Appolis should never see the outside of jail ever again.

"Nadia was a very lovely person, someone who lived for her children and mother," said her niece Sylvia Scheepers.

"She always wanted something better from her life. What happened to her was very sad and unreal ... for us as a family it is something very heavy to deal with, she had so many dreams that were cut short.

"We want justice, that man should be locked up behind bars and the key must be thrown away ... it breaks my heart to know that she is no longer here," she said.

Scheepers said Lotz was a victim of gender-based violence.

“He always had a temper and assaulted her on a regular basis ... it was an incident waiting to happen,” said Scheepers.

Lotz’s mother, Diana told Weekend Argus that she was “broken”.

“I don’t have words, she was my everything and my only child ... I am still coming to terms with the death of my daughter ... justice should prevail,” she said.

Appolis will make his next court appearance on April 12.

In recent years, another murder rocked Strand when a property businessman’s body was found in the Atlantica apartment in 2019.

Armand Botes, who was arrested for the murder, remains on trial for the alleged killing of 54-year-old Eldie Gerber, who was the director and licence holder of property group Seeff.

Gerber reportedly suffered blunt force trauma to the head which caused his death.

Weekend Argus previously reported that the incident occurred hours after Gerber and Botes were seen partying at a local bar in Beach Road, Strand.

According to sources, CCTV footage showed Gerber and Botes in the deceased’s Mercedes-Benz driving into the undercover car parking at 10pm after leaving the pub.

The footage shows Botes, who wore dark trousers and a T-shirt, following Gerber to the main entrance of the apartment block. That was the last time Gerber was seen alive.

Hours later, Botes was apprehended in Beach Road.

Weekend Argus