Cape Town - ‘It didn’t give anyone the right to kill and slaughter him like an animal’, these were the chilling words uttered by a community activist who believes should police have responded quicker, lots of pain could have been spared.
Billy Claasen said if police had taken notice of the devastated mother Triesha van Wyk, lots of anguish could have been avoided.
Speaking to IOL on Wednesday, Claasen said the community of Klawer was still reeling in shock at the suspected death of 13-year-old Jerobiojin van Wyk who went missing last Wednesday.
It is alleged the teen and a friend went to pick mangoes in the upscale area of the town, but never returned home.
The family got news that he was knocked over by a motorist who then picked him up and left with him.
It is alleged the man saw the children ’stealing’ the mangoes from someone’s tree.
The child’s devastated mother immediately sought assistance from police.
On Friday, remains believed to be that of the boy were found in the drain Daniel Smit’s Matzikama Street home.
“I feel the police failed this mother. If they had searched the house [of Daniel Smit] on Wednesday evening they could have found the child, either alive or dead in one piece.
“Police did not even open a missing persons docket.
“They rather sent the mother from pillar to post.
“The mother was sitting until 2am on Thursday since the previous evening when she went to report he was missing.
“She told police her son was knocked by this man who also took him. She asked for them to head to his home and search for him.
“She left [Thursday morning] and returned soonest to the police station and once again police arrived at his [Smit] house and again didn’t search for the child. Police are failing our people,” Claasen said.
He called for the police top brass to come to the area and take a look at what is really happening within the small town.
Claasen said as the search for Jerobiojin continued, residents complained about a smell coming from Smit’s drain.
“When the police spoke to him [Smit], when they asked him what the smell was he said he was pumping his drain. It triggered something in people. Why and where is he pumping to?”
He said the police’s K9 Unit searched Smit’s home on Friday and got nothing. Officers said they would have to wait for the drain inspection.
However, Claasen persisted and contacted the local councillor and said the municipality needed to be called in to have the drain pumped.
“They came to pump the drain and then pieces of meat could be seen. We thought it was an animal but it was in pieces, shredded.
“The lungs, intestines, kidneys and things could be seen. Then a piece of meat came out, a piece of skin with a neck part, a bit of hair and an ear.
“So I realised it could be this child. It was at this time I said the police needed to be called back.
“It was municipal workers that discovered this, not police,” Claasen cringely told IOL.
Smit was arrested on Friday and made his first appearance in the Klawer Magistrate’s Court where he was charged with murder, kidnapping, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and defeating the ends of justice.
The 56-year-old train driver abandoned his bail application.
His case has been postponed until April 26.
Driving through the small town, the tension in the air is palpable.
“The community is tense, extremely traumatised and hurt because a loving child from their community was taken away.
“No matter what kind of person Jerobiojin was, it didn’t give anyone the right to kill and slaughter him like an animal if it is him, we’re still awaiting the results from forensics.
“This is not a time for people to come in and try to politicise another’s hurt and pain.
“We feel people need to come and give flowers, comfort the mother and not plant hatred in her heart,” Claasen said.
He also added that this was not a crime linked to colour or race.
“It is one sick White man that did this, so it could have been a sick Coloured or Black man who could have done it.
“We hope and pray that the remains found are that of Jerobiojin so his mother can just find peace,” he added.
IOL visited Jerobiojin’s family home but his mother was too traumatised to speak.