True Crime South Africa

When Margaret Rheeder’s husband Ben suddenly fell ill, the local doctor suspected he was suffering from a particularly bad case of gastroenteritis, but after his painful death, neighbours and family started wonder whether Margaret’s visit to a local pharmacy may have somehow contributed to his demise. - 24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447 - Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecr...

On a single night in 1990, three innocent people lost their lives to a crime spree by a 19-year-old soldier. When his past and the workings of his mind were examined, though, some would question whether it should have been much of a surprise to anyone that he ended up where he did. - 24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447 - Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa - Support the...

When the Kesa family started a building project at their homestead in the Eastern Cape in 2018, they had no idea that it would devolve into a deadly family feud. By the time both the proverbial and literal last embers had burned out, four people had lost their lives. - 24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447 - Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa - Support the show on PayBru...

This is a rewind episode - designed to bring new attention to the back catalogue of the podcast. But it's also something else. The audio you'll be hearing is actually a chapter of my audiobook for my book, Bare Bones. I included Meadowbrook Doe's case in that book and thought I'd share that chapter here to help bring some new ears to the case. If you'd like to listen to the whole audiobook you can...

The Get Out is in cinemas right now! In this minisode I explore the Bonnie & Clyde vibe that two of the characters have in The Get Out. Who were the original Bonnie & Clyde and why do we continue to use them as a reference to criminal couples 92 years after their deaths? Instagram · Pinterest · Facebook · YouTube · Twitter · LinkedIn

When Franz Richter bought a piece of land just outside Muldersdrift in the 70s he envisioned creating a bubble of African paradise where guests could watch zebras graze while they ate their breakfast and his family could thrive and one day raise their own families there. And for decades that is what Heia Safari Lodge was until one day in November 2007 when three gunshots changed everything. - 24-h...

I'm sharing this investigative podcast series by Anthony Molyneaux of 122 Podcasts in the TCSA feed because I think it's fascinating and I hope that some additional reach can help find resolution for the people who suffered in this situation. Where is Robert-John? is an ongoing investigative podcast in which journalist Anthony Molyneaux tracks down a lifelong friend who allegedly fled South Africa...

I'm sharing this investigative podcast series by Anthony Molyneaux of 122 Podcasts in the TCSA feed because I think it's fascinating and I hope that some additional reach can help find resolution for the people who suffered in this situation. Where is Robert-John? is an ongoing investigative podcast in which journalist Anthony Molyneaux tracks down a lifelong friend who allegedly fled South Africa...

I'm sharing this investigative podcast series by Anthony Molyneaux of 122 Podcasts in the TCSA feed because I think it's fascinating and I hope that some additional reach can help find resolution for the people who suffered in this situation. Where is Robert-John? is an ongoing investigative podcast in which journalist Anthony Molyneaux tracks down a lifelong friend who allegedly fled South Africa...

Lucky Strike released in cinemas on Friday 17th July. I'm a sucker for a movie based on a true story and I can't help but do some digging into the stories these movies are based on. In this mini-minisode I share some of the background to Lucky Strike and the audio from the trailer. I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend booking your tickets now. Instagram · Pinterest · Facebook &...

In 1980s South Africa, a well-known resident of a small Northern Cape town, launched a scheme many believed would be their ticket to the soft life. But it wouldn’t be long before people outside of the scheme started to ask questions. When they did, they were shut down, even threatened by those within the scheme’s quarters. Soon though, the sheer scale of the fraud was laid bare, and it wasn’t just...

I was on a podcast! And not just any podcast - one of my personal favourites! Something Shifted with Sean Loots is an award-winning South African storytelling podcast and in this excerpt you'll get a taste of Sean's interview with me. I answer questions like: Am I a psychopath? What happens when you grow up in a seismic testing centre? And, most importantly: How do I sleep at night? If you've ever...

Neighbours had called Sibusiso Mpungose an excellent father, citing how much time he seemed to spend with his children. But when his life began to unravel and it seemed he was going to have to answer for his actions, he chose instead to ensure that everyone left behind would suffer the real consequences. On an ordinary Tuesday in September 2019 he carried out a ghastly plan which would end four li...

This is a Rewind release of an episode originally published in May 2020. The episode has been re-recorded and updated with new and additional information. Sipho Dube was the embodiment of everything we fear. He was a child rapist and killer and he was almost completely invisible. Between 2002 and 2003, this phantom drifted between the mine dumps of JHB luring in children and then committing the mo...

Over a period of four months Gugulethu, Nyanga and Delft in the Western Cape, were terrorised by a violent and coldblooded gang. Among the victims was an entire family slain in their beds as they slept. When a seasoned investigator was put on the case, he started to make progress almost immediately, and soon realised that rather than a highly organised group of criminals, these crimes were being c...

25-year-old Sasha Lee Shah was building an incredible life for herself. She excelled academically, worked her way into a good job and was securing financial stability. The future was bright. But, by 2021, one part of Sasha Lee’s life was less steady. Her long-term relationship was crumbling under the weight of devastating revelations and Sasha Lee called it quits. Her ex, though, was not ready to...

This is a TCSA Rewind episode - designed to bring more attention to some of the back catalogue of episodes and provide updates in cases I've covered in the past. This episode was first released in February 2020. Listen through to the end for an update including additional information I've received since the initial episode was published. Unlike most other rewind episodes, this one has been complet...

Occasionally, a group of criminals commits a series of crimes so infamous that the story becomes part of South African crime folklore. When this happens, without fail, the story becomes distorted and sometimes, the reality of the brutality gets lost in the fray. This is the true story of a group of criminals who terrorised South Africa in 1913 and 1914 and the hidden legacy they left behind. Discl...

As South Africans, it's not uncommon for us to hear an accused person claim that the devil made them do it. In her new book, accomplished academic and all-round cool human, Dr Nicky Falkof explores this segment of crime in our country, its origins and all the ways it influences justice. In this episode we discuss the book, some of its case studies and our experiences with occult crime allegations...

28 year old Donovan de Jongh was a vulnerable man living with intellectual disabilities in the Western Cape when he was lured into a vehicle with three men with the promise of some take away food for dinner. What followed was an incredibly horrendous crime which shocked even communities who lived among gang violence on a daily basis. It would also make legal history in South Africa. (24-hr trauma...

In the early 1990s Norwood was shaken by a series of violent rapes and murders. When the violence spread to areas on the East Rand, police had to wonder if this was the same perpetrator. It was vital to catch him as quickly as possible, but there was also a serious possibility that this predator was one of them. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon....

In 2019 and 2022 two major events changed the legislation which governs the publication of the names of minor offenders, victims and witnesses in South Africa. These are changes that are vital for every South African to understand. In this episode I unpack why the changes happened and it what it means for content creators and ordinary citizens. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the sho...

Where the heck is episode 200, Nicole? I’ve been asked this question a lot recently, and if you don’t follow the podcast on social media you might not know the answer. So, here it is: Because episode 200 is a pretty big milestone for the podcast and all of you awesome listeners, I’m trying to set up something a bit different for it. You’ll see I have been releasing content in the meantime, just no...

I am very quickly popping into your feed to tell you about two new movies hitting the big screen on the 6th of February. You’ll hear ads for these two being inserted into your feed around now and if you want to win tickets to see them you should definitely keep an eye on the pod’s social media. Here’s me telling you about Wildcat and The Strangers Chapter 3 Instagram · Pinterest · Fa...

Gangsterism continues to stand in the way of communities trying to live peaceful lives and raise children in safety. In this discussion with fiction writer, James Fouche, we unpack the very real cost of crime on ordinary South Africans and how he has tried to portray that through the characters in his new book, Gray. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.pat...