Johannesburg – The four men linked to the disappearance of two women from Mooinooi in the North West have been remanded in custody on Friday, following a court appearance.

Provincial police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mpeile Talane said the four would be kept in custody until their next appearance on January 5, 2018.

Aaron Sithole, 23, Jack Mokotedi, 18, Alex Mudau, 36, and Koos Strydom, 53, were arrested and charged with murder, kidnapping, robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm, defeating the ends of justice and rape after the disappearance of Joey van Niekerk, 32, and Gesina Sophia Anisha van Niekerk, 30, of Mooinooi.

The two women disappeared on December 10 after going to a funeral in Pretoria.

Talane said the two never made it to Pretoria, and their burnt out car was found last week Saturday.

Sithole, Mokotedi and Strydom appeared in court on December 15 and the case was remanded to Friday. Talane said it had been postponed again to allow police to continue investigations.