Morne Langeveld, 24, has pleaded guilty before Justice Selwyn Selekowitz, to murdering Johannes Hubertus le Roux Theunissen on July 28, 1999.
Testifying in his own defence, Langeveld told the court of his deep attachment to his mother, his devastation over her death from cancer, and how his family had fallen apart after her death.
Theunissen and his gay lover, Werner Butterworth, had shared a room in Andre Coetzee's Goodwood home, in Cape Town's northern suburbs. Coetzee was also gay.
Coetzee told the court last week that he had had sex with Langeveld, but Langeveld has denied this.
Langeveld told the court he had gone to Coetzee's home on the day before the murder, to use Theunissen's equipment to download Internet information.
While he was there, Butterworth arrived and ordered Langeveld out of the house, telling Langeveld he was not welcome in the house while Butterworh was away.
Langeveld said Theunissen had accompanied him to the door, but had secretly asked him to return early the next day, while Butterworth was at work.
Langeveld told the court he had returned the next morning, and Theunissen had invited him to play computer games while he (Theunissen) had a shower.
After showering, Theunissen - with only a towel wrapped around him - told Langeveld he loved him and twice asked Langeveld to have sex with him.
'Vile Insult' Against His Mother
Langeveld told the court he had refused, whereupon Theunissen became angry and had uttered a vile insult against Langeveld's recently deceased mother.
Langeveld said the insult had enraged him, and he had grabbed Theunissen, holding him tightly in an arm-lock until Theunissen collapsed.
When Theunissen appeared to revive, Langeveld strangled him with a necktie and had pushed his body under a bed.
Langeveld admitted he had then removed a number of items from Theunissen's bedroom, which he sold or pawned.
He could not explain to the court why he had done this, but denied that the purpose of his visit to the house that morning had been to kill or rob.
The hearing continues on Wednesday. - Sapa
