List of serial killers in South Africa

Last updated

A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. [1] [2] However, South Africa uses a more lenient definition of serial murder, defining it as, "The unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events." [3]

Contents

Identified serial killers

NameNickname / AKAYears activeProven victimsPossible victimsStatusNotesRef
Baninzi, Asande 20011418Sentenced to life imprisonmentTogether with accomplice Mthutuzeli Nombewu, robbed and murdered people in the Cape Flats area [4]
Barber, Peter Roy The Laughing Killer1973–197934Executed in 1980 English immigrant who murdered his mistresses and a 12-year-old girl in Pinetown after arguments [5]
Basson, Pierre The Insurance Killer, South Africa's First Recorded Serial Killer1903–190699+Committed suicide to avoid apprehensionMurdered people in Claremont, Cape Town so he could get their life insurance [6]
Brown, John Frank The Cross Dressing Killer(s)1993–199555Sentenced to life imprisonmentTogether with accomplice and lover Jacques Coetzee murdered other gay men around Johannesburg [7]
Brandt, Brydon 1989–199745Sentenced to life imprisonmentMurdered prostitutes and his roommates in the Eastern Cape [8]
Burger, Cornelius 1936–193755Died in a psychiatric facilityMurdered prostitutes as revenge for contracting a venereal disease [9]
Coetzee, Jacques The Cross Dressing Killer(s)1993–199555Committed suicide in custodyTogether with accomplice and lover John Frank Brown murdered other gay men around Johannesburg [10]
Duma, Sibusiso 200777Sentenced to life imprisonmentKilled various people around Pietermaritzburg during robberies [11]
Kgabi, John Phuko The Ritual Killer1974–1978614Executed in 1980Former police officer who garroted and mutilated young girls in Atteridgeville and Limpopo [12]
Lineveldt, Gamal The Cape Flats Murderer194044Executed in 1941Responsible for the "Cape Flats Murders"; bludgeoned to death white women around the Cape Flats area [13]
Maake, Cedric The Wemmer Pan Killer1996–19972727+Sentenced to life imprisonmentSerial rapist who murdered victims in the Wemmer Pan area [14]
Mabhayi, Bulelani The Monster of Tholeni2007–20122020Sentenced to life imprisonmentHouse intruder who murdered women and children in the village of Tholeni [15]
Majola, Simon The Bruma Lake Killer(s)2000–200188+Sentenced to life imprisonmentTogether with accomplice Themba Nkosi, known as "The Bruma Lake Killers"; robbed and drowned men in Bruma Lake [16]
Makamu, Fanuel The Mpumalanga Serial Rapist200066Sentenced to life imprisonmentTogether with accomplice Henry Maile, robbed, raped and murdered women around Mpumalanga [17]
Maketta, Jimmy The Jesus Killer20051616Sentenced to life imprisonmentMurdered farm labourers in Philippi [18]
Makgae, Andries 2012–201334+Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered women around Onderstepoort; suspected in best friend's murder [19]
Makhubela, Dumisani Lotto Gangster(s)200577Sentenced to life imprisonmentTogether with accomplice Johannes van Rooyen, robbed, raped and murdered people around Mpumalanga, including a family of four [20]
Mashiane, Johannes The Beast of Atteridgeville1977–19891313Committed suicide to avoid apprehensionMurdered his girlfriend; after release, raped and strangled 12 young boys around Atteridgeville [21]
de Melker, Daisy South Africa's First Convicted Female Serial Killer1923–193233Executed in 1932Poisoned two husbands and her son with strychnine for life insurance [22]
Mfeka, Samuel Bongani The Kranskop Killer1993–199666+Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and strangled women around KwaZulu-Natal [23]
Mogale, Jack The West-End Killer2008–20091616Sentenced to life imprisonmentKidnapped, raped and murdered women in southern Johannesburg [24]
Msomi, Elifasi The Axe Killer1953–19551515Executed in 1956Murdered people while he was supposedly under the influence of a Tokoloshe [25]
Mulaudzi, Mukosi Freddy The Limpopo Serial Killer1990–20061313Sentenced to life imprisonmentMurdered two people in 1990, then escaped from prison and resumed killing [26]
Ncama, Nicholas Lungisa The East Cape Killer199766Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and strangled women around Port Elizabeth [27]
Ndlangamandla, Velaphi The Saloon Killer19981919Sentenced to life imprisonmentRobbed and murdered people during home invasions in Mpumalanga [28]
Ndlovu, Rosemary 2012–201866Sentenced to life imprisonmentFormer policewoman who murdered her ex-partner and relatives for life and funeral insurance policies [29]
Ntsieni, Ndivhuwo The Univen serial killer201455Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered women and young girls in and around the University of Venda [30]
Nyauza, Richard The Quarry Killer2002–20061819Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered women after being infected with HIV, dumping their bodies in a quarry [31]
Randitsheni, David The Modimolle Serial Killer2004–20081010Committed suicide in prisonAbducted, raped and murdered children in Modimolle [32]
van Rooyen, Gert 1988–198966+Committed suicide to avoid apprehensionPedophile who, together with accomplice and wife Joey Haarhoff, abducted, raped and murdered six teenage girls whose bodies have never been found [33]
van Rooyen, Johannes Lotto Gangster(s)200577Sentenced to life imprisonmentTogether with accomplice Dumisani Makhubela, robbed, raped and murdered people around Mpumalanga, including a family of four [34]
van Schoor, Louis The Apartheid Killer1986–1989939+20 years; released in the 2000s and died a free man in 2024Former policeman and security guard who killed black South Africans during alleged crimes [35]
Sedumedi, Khangayi The Century City Killer2011–201546Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered women around Century City and Kensington [36]
Sidyno, Samuel The Capital Park Serial Killer1998–199977Sentenced to life imprisonmentStrangled teenagers and women, then disposed of their bodies near the Pretoria Zoo [37]
Sithole, Moses The ABC Killer1994–19953876Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered women around Atteridgeville, Boksburg and Cleveland [38]
Stander, Riaan 2001–200733Sentenced to life imprisonmentMurdered two prostitutes in Port Elizabeth after being released from prison for running over a woman with his car [39]
Sukude, Themba The Newcastle Serial Killer2004–200544Sentenced to life imprisonmentAttacked couples around parks, raping the female and bludgeoning the male to death with rocks. He later switched to solely targeting men [40]
Taki, Thozamile The Sugarcane Killer20071313Sentenced to life imprisonmentRobbed and murdered women around KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, dumping their bodies in sugarcane and tea plantations [41]
Thwala, Sipho The Phoenix Strangler1996–19971616+Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered women in sugarcane fields near Phoenix [42]
Vilakazi, Themba The Railway Killer200535Sentenced to life imprisonmentMurdered black males around Pretoria [43]
Wilken, Stewart The Boetie Boer1990–19971010+Sentenced to life imprisonmentRaped and murdered prostitutes, young boys and his own daughter around Port Elizabeth [44]
Williams, Tommy The City Serial Killer1987–200833Sentenced to life imprisonmentStrangled three acquaintances in varying circumstances; South Africa's longest active serial offender [45]
Xitavhudzi, Elias The Pangaman1953–19591616Executed in 1960Murdered and mutilated white women around Atteridgeville [46]
Zikode, Christopher Mhlengwa The Donnybrook Serial Killer1994–19951818Sentenced to life imprisonment Necrophiliac house intruder who murdered people around Donnybrook, then had sex with the female victims' corpses [47]

Unidentified serial killers

NicknameYears activeProven victimsPossible victimsRegion(s) where activeNotesRef
Cape Town Prostitute Killer 1992–19961919 Western Cape Strangled prostitutes and domestic workers around Cape Town [48]
Fosaville serial killer 1999–20031313 KwaZulu-Natal Abducted, bound and strangled women around Newlands East [49]
Sleepy Hollow Killer 1990s–20071316+ Kwa-Zulu Natal (confirmed)
Free State, Eastern Cape (suspected)		Raped and strangled women, mostly sex workers and prostitutes, using their own panties [50]

Suspected serial killers

NameYears activeProven VictimsPossible VictimsRegion(s) where activeStatusNotesRef
Afzal Simons, Norman 1986–1994122 Cape Town Sentenced to 35 years imprisonment in 1995Raped and strangled young boys with pieces of their clothing, their hands bound behind their backs, their shoes removed and their faces pushed into the sand. [51]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serial killer</span> Murderer of multiple people

A serial killer is a person who murders three or more people, with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separate events. Their psychological gratification is the motivation for the killings, and many serial murders involve sexual contact with the victims at different points during the murder process. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) states that the motives of serial killers can include anger, thrill-seeking, financial gain, and attention seeking, and killings may be executed as such. The victims tend to have things in common, such as demographic profile, appearance, gender, or race. As a group, serial killers suffer from a variety of personality disorders. Most are often not adjudicated as insane under the law. Although a serial killer is a distinct classification that differs from that of a mass murderer, spree killer, or contract killer, there are overlaps between them.

Leigh Matthews was a South African university student who was kidnapped and murdered. Her disappearance and murder sparked a media frenzy, with the ensuing investigation and court case being one of the most closely followed in South African history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in South Africa</span>

Crime in South Africa includes all violent and non-violent crimes that take place in the country of South Africa, or otherwise within its jurisdiction. When compared to other countries, South Africa has notably high rates of violent crime and has a reputation for consistently having one of the highest murder rates in the world. The country also experiences high rates of organised crime relative to other countries.

<i>Independent Online</i> South African news and information website

Independent Online, popularly known as IOL, is a news website based in South Africa that serves the online versions of a number of South African newspapers, including The Star, Cape Times, Cape Argus, Weekend Argus, The Mercury, Sunday Tribune, The Independent on Saturday, and The Sunday Independent. IOL regularly distributes Chinese state media content.

David Randitsheni was a South African rapist and serial killer who in 2009 was convicted on 10 counts of murder, 17 counts of rape, 18 counts of kidnapping and one count of indecent assault. He was sentenced to 16 life sentences and 220 years in prison with the judge stipulating that he could not be considered for parole before serving at least 35 years in prison by which time he would be 80 years old. Only one of his victims was an adult ; the rest were children.

Norman Afzal Simons, known as the Station Strangler, is a South African murderer, rapist and suspected serial killer in Cape Town in the late 20th century. He was convicted in 1995 of the rape and murder of 10-year-old Elroy van Rooyen in 1995 and sentenced to 25 years. He became eligible for parole in July 2023 and was released on parole and under 24-hour monitoring in November 2023.

Pretoria Central Prison, renamed Kgosi Mampuru II Management Area by former President Jacob Zuma on 13 April 2013 and sometimes referred to as Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Services is a large prison in central Pretoria, within the City of Tshwane in South Africa. It is operated by the South African Department of Correctional Services.

The Fosaville serial killer is an unidentified serial killer who murdered 13 women between 1999 and 2003 in Newlands West, an area near Durban, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johannes van Rooyen and Dumisani Makhubela</span> South African serial killers

Johannes van Rooyen and Dumisani Makhubela are a pair of South African serial killers, rapists, and mass murderers who murdered seven people in Mhluzi over the autumn and winter of 2005. Although most infamous for murdering a family of four, they also killed a woman and a young couple, all in the Mpumalanga province. They were arrested soon after their final two murders and each sentenced to 445 years imprisonment.

Themba Anton Sukude, also known as the Newcastle serial killer, is a South African serial killer who murdered four men and raped two women in Newcastle's Trim Park between February 2004 and January 2005. His initial modus operandi consisted of targeting couples. He would bludgeon the male with a rock and rape the female. However, he later switched to solely targeting men. He was caught in March 2005 after confessing to a stranger, and convicted of the crimes the following year. He is serving five life sentences as well as an additional 40 years.

The Cape Town Prostitute Killer, also known as TheCape Town Strangler, is an unidentified South African serial killer who fatally strangled 16 prostitutes and three domestic workers in Cape Town between 1992 and 1996. His modus operandi consisted of picking up his victims on rainy nights, fatally strangling them in his car, and dumping their bodies in preselected locations. Although none of the victims were raped, the perpetrator tried to stage them to make it look as if they were.

References

  1. ↑ Ronald M. Holmes; Stephen T. Holmes (1998). Contemporary Perspectives on Serial Murder. SAGE Publications. p. 1. ISBN   0-7619-1421-8 . Retrieved 15 June 2016. Serial murder is the killing of three or more people over a period of more than 30 days, with a significant cooling-off period between the murders [...] The baseline number of three victims appears to be most common among those who are the academic authorities in the field. The time frame also appears to be an agreed-upon component of the definition.
  2. ↑ Burkhalter Chmelir 2003, p. 1.
  3. ↑ Smit, Sarah; Rupiah, Kiri (5 July 2019). "How to catch a serial killer – and why South Africa is good at it". Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  4. ↑ Wetsch, Elisabeth (2005). "Asande Baninzi". Serial Killer News. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  5. ↑ "Triple killer Briton hangs". Liverpool Daily Post. 12 December 1980 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Marsh, Rob (2009). "Murdering for money, Pierre Basson: 1903". AfricaCrime-Mystery.co.za. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "Dragnet catches she-male murder suspect". The Sydney Morning Herald . 16 April 1996 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Pistorius, Micki (2012). "Brydone Brandt". Strangers On The Street - Serial homicide in South Africa. Penguin Random House. ISBN   978-0-14-352717-6.
  9. ↑ Shaun, Smillie (29 June 2019). "Pretoria killings have similarities with Joburg's first serial killer". IOL . Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "Dragnet catches she-male murder suspect". The Sydney Morning Herald . 16 April 1996 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Life in jail for Serial Killer". News24 . 17 August 2009. Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  12. ↑ "Killer of 6 young girls in hanged in S. Africa". The Philadelphia Inquirer . 7 February 1980 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Michael Newton (2000). The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. ISBN   978-0-8160-6987-3.
  14. ↑ "Serial killer jailed for 1,340 years". BBC News. 16 March 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  15. ↑ "Serial killer pleads guilty to 20 murders". News24. 28 August 2013. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  16. ↑ Retief, Hanlie (13 September 2011). "Dredging up the lake serial killers". The Saturday Star . Retrieved 24 November 2019– via Independent Online.
  17. ↑ Kuhlase, Zenzele; Mnisi, Oris (27 July 2004). "Serial killer gets 165 years". News24 . Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  18. ↑ Dolley, Caryn (3 May 2007). "Serial killer guilty on 47 counts". Independent Online. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  19. ↑ Ilse De Lange (29 July 2016). "Serial killer gets three life terms". TheCitizen.
  20. ↑ "Men sentenced to 445 years each". News24. 13 October 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  21. ↑ "Serial Killers". A History of Madness: An Index of Serial Killers and Murderers. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  22. ↑ Tomlins, Marilyn Z. (13 October 2009). "Daisy de Melker: South Africa's First Serial Killer". Crime Magazine.com. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  23. ↑ Newton, Michael (February 2006). The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. Infobase Publishing. p. 381. ISBN   978-0-8160-6987-3.
  24. ↑ "West-End killer awaits sentencing". News24. 16 March 2011. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  25. ↑ Louw, Leandi (6 August 2018). "South Africa's 3 Most Memorable Serial Killers". Medium.com . Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  26. ↑ "Limpopo serial killer case postponed". Independent Online . 11 October 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  27. ↑ Mzimba, Stan (9 December 1997). "Serial Killer Suspect in Court". Daily Dispatch . Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  28. ↑ "'Saloon killer' gets 137 years for 19 murders". Independent Online. 19 September 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  29. ↑ Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu gets six life terms for arranging hits on loved ones. Shange, Naledi. Sunday Times. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  30. ↑ Nduvheni, Silas (27 May 2016). "Nine life sentences for Univen serial killer". Limpopo Mirror. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  31. ↑ "Killer gets 16 life terms". News24. 5 November 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  32. ↑ "Serial killer found hanging by a sheet". Independent Online. SAPA. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  33. ↑ Gallagher, Christina (7 April 2007). "Feared God but 'loved' young girls". The Star . Archived from the original on 18 September 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2018– via Independent Online.
  34. ↑ "Men sentenced to 445 years each". News24. 13 October 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  35. ↑ Hollands, Barbara (31 October 2004). "Serial killer freed after 12 years in prison". Independent Online. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  36. ↑ Rice, Catherine (9 June 2016). "Century City killer's modus operandi revealed". Independent Online. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  37. ↑ "Sadistic serial killer gets seven life terms". Independent Online. 5 September 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  38. ↑ Kendal, Rebekah (3 May 2007). "Worst criminals of SA". iAfrica.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  39. ↑ Geldenhuys, Kotie (1 June 2016). "Serial killer creates fear among PE's sex workers: crime series" . Servamus. 109 (6) – via Sabinet.
  40. ↑ Feran, Bob (26 April 2006). "New 'powerful' tool in fight against crime". IOL. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  41. ↑ "Sugarcane killer: Release her". News24. 2 March 2010. Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  42. ↑ "Crimes That Shook The World: The Phoenix Strangler". Discovery Channel: Crimes and Forensics. 2009. Archived from the original on 8 December 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  43. ↑ Nkosi, Nomaswazi (6 August 2015). "'Why didn't Satanists help him?'". IOL. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  44. ↑ "Story of a Serial Killer". North Harbour News. 30 October 2008. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  45. ↑ Maryna van Wyk (11 November 2009). "No mercy for serial killer". DFA.
  46. ↑ Newton, Michael (February 2006). The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. Infobase Publishing. pp. 207 & 246. ISBN   978-0-8160-6987-3.
  47. ↑ Hickey, Eric W. (23 June 2009). Serial Murderers and their Victims. Cengage Learning. p. 341. ISBN   978-0-495-60081-7 – via Google Books.
  48. ↑ Geldenhuys, Henriëtte (8 February 2014). "Serial killer who terrorised sex workers". IOL . Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  49. ↑ "Who is the Newlands serial killer?". www.iol.co.za. 1 November 2003. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  50. ↑ "Serial killer in Pietermaritzburg: report". Independent Online . 28 January 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  51. ↑ Tasneem, Adams (29 September 2022). "State should reopen 21 unsolved murders against 'Station Strangler'". Cape Talk. Retrieved 25 April 2023.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.