A man pleaded guilty in the Cape High Court on Thursday to the murder of a housemate in Goodwood, Cape Town, in July 1999.
Morne Langeveld admitted to killing Le Roux Theunissen and also pleaded guilty before Judge Selwyn Selikowitz to stealing two gold rings, a woman's wristwatch and other items from the house.
The court rejected Langeveld's plea of theft relating to these items, and continued with a charge of robbery.
The owner of the house in Goodwood, in the Peninsula's northern suburbs, Andre Coetzee, told the court: "As I arrived home, one of my tenants, Werner Butterworth, who shared a room with Le Roux Theunissen, came running out of the house in a state of shock, to tell me that Theunissen was dead - and that Morne Langeveld had 'done it'."
In his plea-explanation, Langeveld told the court he had gone to Theunissen's home at about 9am on the day in question for Internet information about motorcycles.
He said that after showering, Theunissen had twice asked him for sex, which Langeveld had refused.
Langeveld told the court that the first time he refused, Theunissen had threatened to falsely tell Langeveld's girlfriend that they had in fact had sex.
The second time Langeveld refused Theunissen apparently became angry over being turned down.
Theunissen apparently used vulgar language on Langeveld, which Langeveld told the court insulted and infuriated him to the extent that he "saw black", and grabbed Theunissen by the throat.
He said Theunissen had fallen to the floor unconscious, and Langeveld had then strangled him further with a neck tie, and had pushed his body under a bed.
Coetzee told the court he was aware that Butterworth and Theunissen had had a strong, exclusive gay relationship.
Coetzee said he himself had developed a casual sexual relationship with Langeveld, although he had suspected that Langeveld had also had a girlfriend.
The trial continues on Tuesday. - Sapa