Thomas Butler Smith

Thomas Butler Smith (1931 – 1997)

Brief overview:

Thomas (66), was stabbed to death on his Aliwal North farm of Leeufontein farm on October 19th 1997

According to police, the two men were waiting at the turnoff to Smith's farm on the N6 between then Jamestown and Aliwal North. The farmer gave them a lift to his farm after the men pretended that their car broke down and they had to use a phone. At the farmhouse, Smith was stabbed with a knife on his hands and on the left side of his chest. He died on the scene.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
  • A knife
• Items Stolen
  • Nelani and Thantsi stole money and watches.
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
  • Zimoschile Jackson Nelani, (44), was recognized by children and workers on the farm and was arrested shortly after the incident.
  • Massiza Andries Thantsi, (48), fled to Cape Town, After years of detective work, he was arrested by ao. Vuyo Daniel of the Maletswai Police Department, on 17 October 2009, in Cape Town.
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction
  • Nelani appeared in the Grahamstown High Court in 1998, on charges of murder and aggravated robbery and was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
  • Thantsi appeared in the Aliwal North High Court in June 2010 before Judge A.J. Ndzondo. Thantsi was found to have played a smaller role than his partner in the attack on Thomas Smith. He was found guilty of aggravated murder and robbery and sentenced to 15 and eight years in prison respectively. The sentences are served concurrently.

Additional Biographical Information:

• Identity Number : 3102065033087
• Official cause of death : fatal stab wound

Links to Media articles:

• http://web.archive.org/web/20050219052225/http:/www.dispatch.co.za/...
• https://media.geni.com/p13/92/87/6b/09/5344484e5cefed35/thomas_smith_64__original.pdf?hash=49c6e0c761c3fb36ef8e223c5eabf841e36f6da975887aeef5060b9e13355b9d.1710399599
• https://www.yumpu.com/nl/document/read/4451339/laai-af-die-lys-van-...
• https://graves-at-eggsa.org/main.php?g2_itemId=3271216