True Crime South Africa

When 20-year-old Siam Lee went missing from her place of work in Kwazulu-Natal in 2018, her disappearance made headlines for all the wrong reasons. As the story developed, she and her mother would be cast as one-dimensional characters in the story being told about them. When Siam's remains were found, though, attention would shift to her alleged murderer and justice for Siam seemed to hang in the...

When 20-year-old Siam Lee went missing from her place of work in Kwazulu-Natal in 2018, her disappearance made headlines for all the wrong reasons. As the story developed, she and her mother would be cast as one-dimensional characters in the story being told about them. When Siam's remains were found, though, attention would shift to her alleged murderer and justice for Siam seemed to hang in the...

One couple. One farm. Two murders in the space of a month. When Arnold Schultz is found murdered on his farm in Philippi just one month after his life partner, Hester Koch suffered the same fate, it seems impossible that there is not some link between the two crimes. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa)(Support the show on PayPal ht...

When Stellenbosch university student, Erin van Rensburg, went missing from her flat on the 1st of June 2009, red flags immediately sprang up around one particular man who'd shown an obsessive interest in the young woman. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa) Instagram &mi...

When a call comes into Westville police station late one March night in 2000, an investigation is triggered that will uncover a far different crime than the robbery-gone-wrong that was initially presented. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa) Instagram · Pinterest...

When mother of two, Zarah Hector disappeared after leaving her place of work on the 15th of March 2016, an extensive search ensues. Nine days after her disappearance, Zarah's body was discovered and the puzzle pieces of her horrific murder showed how deeply the woman had been betrayed by someone she trusted. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/...

In this week's Spotlight Minisode we take a look at Nkosinathi Phakathi, the man who is likely SA's most prolific serial rapist; the death of a 7-month-old baby in Australia, allegedly at the hands of his South African father, Reinhardt Bosch; and the strange case of Robin Smith who police allege faked his own death 23 years ago. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon ht...

When Marilyn Jones attempts to break up with her boyfriend Robin Cloete, the man refuses to accept the woman's wishes and bloodshed ensues. This should have been the end of Robin Cloete's crimes against women, but, sadly, it was just the beginning. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.m...

On the 17th of October 2013, 15-year-old Lee Adams set off to the local store to buy a loaf of bread. When he didn't return home and then, a horrific discovery was made in a local abandoned school, the Adams family was about to thrust into a torrent of grief and devastation. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on...

In this quick update, I share my release schedule for October which will be impacted by the publication of my first true crime book, Samurai Sword Murder: The Morne Harmse Story. Get info on my book launches and RSVP to your closest event. (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa?locale.x=en_US) Instagram ·...

On the 18th of October 2007 South African music icon Lucky Dube was murdered in a botched hijacking. The investigation into his murder would employ several interesting forensics tools to help bring his killers to justice. Also in this episode is a bonus interview with Dr Richard Shepherd one of the world’s leading forensic pathologists, who has performed more than 23,000 autopsies. Dr Shepherd wor...

On the 5th of July 2018, Hlompho Mohapi Koloi set out for a job interview. She would never return home. The investigation into her murder would reveal not just the coldblooded reasons behind her own death, but also how a man the community trusted had been fooling them all along. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show...

For almost a year between 2005 and 2006, Moffat Park was terrorised by a serial killer. The man who moved unseen among the community became a phantom to feared as victim after victim fell at his hands, but when his masked was pulled off, the very mundane truth of his identity would perhaps be even more horrifying than his crimes. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon ht...

On the 1st of March 2021, the Saldanha Bay harbour was swarming with police vehicles. A vessel, which had been anchored in harbour for almost two months, was the object of the SAPS' attention that day and what they found on board was beyond what anyone had imagined. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal ht...

On the 15th of April 2006, Brett Goldin & Richard Bloom said goodbye to friends in Camps Bay and headed down the street to their cars. That was the last time they were ever seen alive. The four men lurking in the shadows were looking to steal a car, and when they saw the two young men, that would not be the only thing they stole. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon ht...

In this spotlight minisode we discuss updates in the cases of Jesse Hess, Tshegofatso Pule, Hillary Gardee, Megan Cremer, and the trial of Lauren Dickason. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa) Instagram · Pinterest · Facebook · YouTube · Twitt...

Dr Gérard Labuschagne's first book had true crime fans begging for more, and the follow up, The Profiler Diaries 2: From Crime Scene to Courtroom has just been released. In today's episode I chat with Dr Labuschagne about the book, the cases he included, and he provides us with many fascinating insights about the content. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://ww...

When the body of Child Protection & Sexual Offences investigator Captain Anna-Marie Potgieter is discovered her colleagues arrest a man, believed to be her killer, within 48 hours. True justice for this committed police officer, however, may still be an elusive dream (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal h...

When the badly beaten and burned body of 23-year-old David Olyne was discovered at a dam in Ceres, Western Cape, the speedy arrest of a perpetrator would mask the true nature of this hate crime. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa) Instagram · Pinterest · F...

Dr Hestelle van Staden is a senior forensic pathologist and star of the VIA show, Outopsie. In this week's episode I chat with Dr Van Staden about her work as a pathologist, the show, and her future projects (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa) Instagram · Pintere...

As residents of Merriespruit in the Free State province settled in for bed on the 22nd of February 1994, a wall of mud and water was heading their way and when a man-made disaster collided with the quiet suburb of Virginia, only devastation was left in its wake. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https:...

When Brydon Brandt was arrested in 1997 in connection with the death of a drinking buddy, police could have no idea that his confession was about to uncover an unidentified serial killer (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa) Instagram · Pinterest · Facebook...

When 12-year-old Michaela Williams disappeared and Steven Fortune's name was linked to her case, police looking at his prior record knew that a serial predator had just been allowed to strike again. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa) Instagram · Pinterest &middo...

When two women are found murdered in their home and a third escapes through a broken window, a mystery is uncovered that, despite resulting in a trial and conviction, still endures to this day. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa) Instagram · Pinterest · Fa...

In this week's spotlight minisode we discuss two very different cases which both represent cautionary tales - the murder of Abongile Mafalala and the murder of Magda van Heerden. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal https://www.paypal.me/truecrimesa) Instagram · Pinterest · Facebook ·...