Cape Town - The 56-year-old Klawer man arrested for the murder of 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk has told his lawyer his actions were part of occult killings he had practised since childhood.
Daniel Smit made his first appearance in the Klawer Magistrate’s Court yesterday after human remains were found in a sewer on his property in Klawer.
The remains are believed to be those of Jerobejin, who was reported missing after he went with a friend to pick mangoes in a relatively well-off part of the town on Wednesday.
Smit has been charged with murder, kidnapping, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and defeating the ends of justice.
Smit’s lawyer, Santie Human, said her client had confessed to her. Human also said Smit was introduced to a cult at a very young age, when he learnt how to dispose of a body.
“My client got involved in the occult when he was 13 years old. In Vredendal he met someone from out of town who gave him stuff about the occult to read. He felt he belonged – part of it.
“When he was 19, an occult group from Sea Point showed him how to kill with very little blood spilt and to incinerate the body and to throw any remains in the sea.
“My client is not a sick person, as in mental health problems. He has spiritual problems… He wants to be delivered from the evil spirits.”
She said Smit told her of four other bodies he disposed of in Sea Point.
He does not intend to apply for bail.
Residents protested outside court and police used stun grenades and tear gas was used to disperse the crowd of about 200 people.
Community leader Billy Claasen said it was suspected Smit might be responsible for other children who have gone missing in the area. He also cautioned residents not to take the law into their own hands.
“They (residents) are angry and aggrieved because a very gruesome thing happened. He confessed that this is the fourth one that he killed.
“Maybe we are sitting with a serial killer. We need to take racism out of it; not to make it a racism issue. Don’t plant hatred in the mother’s heart; comfort her so that she doesn’t have discomfort anymore.”