Daniel Smit, the man accused of murdering 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk and burying his remains in a drain in Klawer, north of Cape Town, in February 2022, intends to plead guilty. Jerobejin's family wants to know what Smit did and why.

Listen to this article 5 min Listen to this article 5 min Days after the murder of 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk, his mother, Triesa van Wyk, said her only wish was to know her son's final words. On Monday, 7 October 2024, she might have got a step closer.

According to a family spokesperson, Triesa was overcome with emotion as she walked into the Vredendal Circuit Court on Monday and faced the man who allegedly butchered her son and dumped his remains in a drain on his property after Jerobejin and his friends trespassed to pick mangoes.

Daniel Smit, who is charged with kidnapping and murdering Jerobejin on 2 February 2022, appeared before Western Cape High Court Judge Hayley Slingers on Monday.

The case had been set for trial but on Monday Smit changed the course of the proceedings, saying he wanted to plead guilty to all charges and enter a plea and sentence agreement with the State.

Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the case has been postponed to 21 October for the State to consider Smit's plea under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

The murder of Jerobejin in Klawer, about 240km north...