The daughters of murdered Stellenbosch farmer Stephan Smit allege in papers filed in the Western Cape High Court that his grieving widow is using a forged will to make her executor of his estate, worth millions, according to a Weekend Argus report.

The allegations stem from a High Court application filed in November by Smit’s second wife, Zurenah.

Smit (62) was murdered execution style at his Stellenbosch wine estate home on 2 June last year. Zurenah (54) was allegedly making tea in the kitchen when he was shot in the head and chest after four invaders entered their Louiesenhof wine estate home through an unlocked door.

Zurenah claims that while she was making Smit’s funeral arrangements, she discovered his will tucked into his Bible. She had a certified copy of the 12 January 2019 will made, but somehow the original was lost.

She now needs the court to declare her copy a valid last will and testament.

If successful, it will appoint her executor of Smit’s vast estate. It also bequeaths her R7m in cash and assets, Louiesenhof wine estate and a third of his remaining estate.

In her opinion, the January will invalidates all the original wills SAPS detectives found in Smit’s safe. The four original wills found included one dated 7 December 2018, which superseded the three from previous years.

According to the December will, Zurenah’s only benefit was lifelong residence at a Stellenbosch retirement village.

Smit’s adult daughters from his first marriage, Martine and Louie, successfully interdicted her after the Master of the High Court mistakenly appointed her executor.

The matter will be argued in May.

According to their urgent application, they say that Zurenah’s January will is her forgery, right down to their dad’s signature.

They are the chief beneficiaries of the December will which they believe to be the last.

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