Cape Town — The family of Luke Smith, the young man who died after an assault in New Zealand, are devastated following the loss of their child last week.
In an interview with IOL, Luke’s father, Brian Smith, revealed that he had moved to New Zealand for work in November 2023, and his wife, Natasha and Luke, joined him in February this year on a visitor’s visa.
Brian described Luke as the “light of their lives” and a fun-loving person who loved football. He was a Manchester United fan. While the family are understandably devastated, they remain hopeful that justice will be served.
Luke died after he was involved in an incident in the early hours of Monday 7 October when he was assaulted at a bus stop. A 29-year-old boxer was arrested and charged with reckless disregard.
According to Brian, Luke was into plumbing and electrical work and had been trying to get into a college in New Zealand. Apprenticeships were not available for foreigners so Luke was going to return to South Africa once his visa expired, complete a plumbing course, and would return to New Zealand.
Brian also described Luke as a sociable young man who had many friends in New Zealand and often avoided conflicts as he was not an angry person. Brian said a post-mortem was being conducted so that Luke’s body could be brought back to South Africa.
His funeral will take place in the Eastern Cape and his final resting place will be King Williams Town.
In a post on Facebook, The Blackhouse, a representative of the African community in Wellington, revealed a memorial service will be held for Luke on Saturday 12 October and urged people to come support the Smith family.
“This is not just a time to mourn, but a time to demand action. We need everyone—to show up and stand together. Let us unite and demand justice for Luke,” it said.
“We had the pleasure of meeting Luke on Saturday night for the first time, a kind and gentle soul enjoying an evening of fun at a wonderful event that ended peacefully,” said a post on the BlackHouse Facebook page.
The post described Smith as a “vibrant young man” who lost his life senselessly.
“This sudden act of violence, resulting in his death has shattered his family, leaving them in unimaginable grief, heartache, and now facing unexpected financial challenges as they try to navigate this terrible reality,” the post said.
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Picture: Facebook/Cassidy Walters
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
