Arrie Willem Smit

Arrie Smit (1953 - 2023)

Brief overview:

Arrie (70), from Mamusa smallholdings outside Schweizer-Reneke was attacked by two suspects in their home on Friday morning around 03:00 along with his wife, Riekie Smit (71).

Capt. Sam Tselanyane says the woman was able to contact her son for help. Upon arriving at the scene, he found his mother shocked and took her away from the bedroom where her husband was lying motionless on his back.

According to Riekie, she came from the bathroom when she saw a flashlight in the hallway near the bedroom. She apparently ignored it, after which a second flashlight appeared. After this, she apparently heard the security gate slam against the wall and woke up the deceased, who was sleeping, and informed about persons in the house. According to her, the deceased woke up and sat on the bed. She asked a suspect what they were looking for, whereupon one who was disguised with a balaclava pointed to her with his finger in front of his mouth to keep quiet. After this, she apparently heard two shots, after which the suspect immediately turned and ran away.

The woman ran to the window and screamed for help. Access was gained through an electric fence that was cut during load shedding, after which the suspects bent open the burglar fence in front of a bedroom window.
After neighbors were mobilized, two men who were found in the vicinity of the smallholding, aged 37 and 42 respectively, were taken in for questioning.

The deceased sustained three gunshot wounds to his upper body. Three empty .22 shell casings and a bolt cutter were found at the scene, which the police confiscated.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)
  • December 2023 – 18 Farm attacks and 6 farm murders. *https://archive.is/k7LVl

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
  • 03:00, 08/12/2023
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction

Additional Biographical Information:

Links to Media articles:

• https://archive.is/Bm7uD
• https://archive.ph/rMPzm
• https://archive.ph/Stctu