Cape Town - The notorious “Klawer killer” has made a spine-chilling confession into how he murdered 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk, but denies it was premeditated murder.
Two years after the horrific murder, Daniel Smit pleaded guilty to murder and provided a graphic plea explanation, describing how he broke the child’s neck and placed him in a freezer.
The boy’s death in February 2022 sparked an uproar in the rural Matzikama Municipality town, after it was discovered Smit allegedly butchered the boy after he allegedly stole fruit from Smit’s property.
Smit was reportedly seen picking the teen up and putting him in his bakkie. Two days later, it was revealed that human remains were found in the drains at Smit’s home as police and forensic experts combed for clues.
Smit appeared in the Klawer Magistrate’s Court several days later, where he abandoned his bail application, claiming he was a Satanist.
Later he claimed the killing was linked to an occult.
Smit is on trial on an array of charges, including kidnapping, murder, and defeating the ends of justice.
He admits to the murder but denies that it was premeditated.
In his plea explanation, Smit claims Van Wyk mocked him after stealing the fruit and this angered him.
After he knocked the child over and placed him at the back of his bakkie, he drove home and instructed Van Wyk to go inside where he offered the child food.
“I was still very angry and wanted to punish him but I saw that he was scared and decided to give him a sandwich and a cold drink.”
Smit said at 13 years old, he joined a Chinese occult group under a leader known as “Levine”, where he was taught to do black magic and cast spells.
He said while attending meetings in Sea Point, he participated in rituals on people to punish them and while watching the child eat, “it came over him”.
“I walked to the boy and in a swift movement with my hands as I was taught in the occult, I broke his neck.”
Shockingly, he said he placed Van Wyk’s body in a freezer and gave his own daughter sleeping pills as he embarked on dismembering the child’s body before setting the body parts alight in a fireplace.
“I took the body from the freezer and cut the body of the deceased in the way I was taught in the occult to divide certain parts such as the intestines and the ears.
“I put the body parts I had to burn on the flames and it burned. It was excruciatingly hot in the room.”
The State alleges on the day of the incident, Van Wyk and his friend were caught trespassing and were chased.
A report was made to Van Wyk’s mother that he was last seen with Smit and she subsequently reported the case to police.
“They were informed that the deceased had been given food and was not seen again. The following day a warrant to search the accused’s premises was issued and the accused was arrested.
“On February 4, 2022, police forensic pathology discovered human remains which was later linked to the deceased,” the indictment reads.
The trial continues.
Cape Argus