[imagesource:iol]

Daniel Smit, pictured above, stands accused of brutally murdering 13-year-old Jerobiojin van Wyk for stealing a couple of mangoes.

I don’t care what his defence is, nobody is justified in becoming a monster over mangoes.

Jeobejin was murdered, and butchered, with some of his body parts discarded in a septic tank for allegedly stealing fruit on February 2, 2022. It was also revealed the teenager was chased by a bakkie and knocked before being ‘apprehended’, per IOL.

According to psychologist CWA van Zyl, Smit’s version of events revealed he ‘lost control’, broke the child’s neck and later dismembered him. Smit admitted to seeing the children taking the fruit, and Jerobejin allegedly mocking him is what made him lose control.

He chased the children in his bakkie. He then knocked Jerobejin and pulled the child into his vehicle. Smit then gave his unsuspecting victim something to eat when they got to his house. He then allegedly broke the child’s neck and hid his body in the freezer.

Image: IOL

At the time, Smit’s daughter was at home, fast asleep after he reportedly gave her sleeping tablets, oblivious to the horrors unfolding. Smit allegedly removed Jerobejin’s body from the freezer, dismembered him, and attempted to burn the remains. The parts that didn’t burn in his fireplace were callously discarded in the septic tank of his sewage system.

At the time that the news broke in 2022, we reported that Smit claimed that he became involved “in the occult” when he was 13 years old and confessed to killing four people in Sea Point, Cape Town as part of an “occult group”, according to his lawyer, Santie Human.

The alleged cultist was admitted for psychiatric evaluation to assess whether he was able to follow court proceedings. In September 2023, Smit was declared fit to stand trial.

In the indictment before the court, Smit faces charges of murder, kidnapping, violating a corpse, defeating the ends of justice, and attempted murder, alternatively reckless and negligent driving. The matter is currently being heard in the High Court sitting in Vredendal.

Per another IOL article, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Police, Ian Cameron said the courts have an opportunity to make an example with Daniel Smit.

“The gruesome killing of Jerobejin van Wyk has left an indelible wound on the community of Klawer and is a constant reminder of the huge challenge the country faces with the increasing murder rate,” Cameron said.

“We hope the courts will use this opportunity to send a stern message that such kinds of barbaric acts have no place in a democratic South Africa.”

He also raised concerns as the matter has yet to be finalised despite the murder taking place in 2022.

“While we have full confidence in our courts, such an opportunity to send a murderer who killed and tried to conceal his actions to jail for a lifetime cannot be missed,” Cameron said.

He stated that this case has underscored the grave dangers of vigilantism and taking the law into one’s own hands.

“The country has experienced an increase in vigilantes, who are inherently unhelpful in creating safe and secure communities,” Cameron said.

A judgment for the matter will be delivered next week on Monday, October 28, per the Western Cape spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Eric Ntabazalila.

[source:iol]