Mother throws bottle at son’s alleged killer after hearing details of murder

26 April 2022 - 15:54
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Daniel Smit, the alleged killer of 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk, in the dock at the Klawer magistrate's court on April 26 2022.
Daniel Smit, the alleged killer of 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk, in the dock at the Klawer magistrate's court on April 26 2022.
Image: Esa Alexander

“How can you kill my baby like that, you rubbish?”

These were the words of Triesa Van Wyk, mother of Jerobejin Van Wyk, when she confronted her son’s alleged killer in Klawer, in the Western Cape, on Tuesday.

During the court appearance by Daniel Smit, who is accused of killing the 13-year-old in February, the mother sat quietly, attentively listening to proceedings.

As Smit left the dock in the Klawer magistrate’s court to the holding cell, Van Wyk threw a water bottle at him. Speaking in Afrikaans, she called Smit “gemors” (rubbish) before she broke down. Relatives and community members comforted her.

Triesa van Wyk, mother of 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk, threw a water bottle at alleged killer Daniel Smit when he appeared in the Klawer magistrate's court on April 26 2022.
Triesa van Wyk, mother of 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk, threw a water bottle at alleged killer Daniel Smit when he appeared in the Klawer magistrate's court on April 26 2022.
Image: Esa Alexander

Earlier she listened to gruesome details about how her youngest child was killed. 

Smit’s attorney, Santie Human, read a statement written by psychologist CWA Van Zyl, who has spent time with Smit. The 56-year-old has not yet been asked to plead to charges including murder and kidnapping.

According to the statement, Smit chased Jerobejin while driving his bakkie, knocked him down, then drove him to his home in Klawer where he gave him bread and cooldrink.

Jerobejin van Wyk.
Jerobejin van Wyk.
Image: Supplied

Smit told Van Zyl he killed Jerobejin by breaking his neck and put his body in a freezer. This happened while Smit’s daughter was in the house, said Van Zyl, but she did not witness the killing.

After his daughter went to bed, Smit burnt Jerobejin’s body by putting it on tar poles in his fireplace, said Van Zyl. He put body parts that were not destroyed in his septic tank, which is where they were found by municipal workers.

Van Zyl’s report described Smit as an introvert and loner who is “suspicious of the motives of others and naive”.

He also told the psychologist when he gets upset he tastes sulphur and iron, gets headaches and experiences an uncontrollable urge to act. He experiences a “trance-like state of mind and goes into a different dimension”.

Prosecutor Dale Andrews told the court Smit would remain in custody at Van Rhynsdorp prison while he waits for a bed at Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital in Cape Town, where he will undergo a 30-day evaluation.

The case was postponed to June 27 but Smit is expected back in court on May 23 to hear feedback on the availability of a bed at Valkenberg.

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