True Crime South Africa
True Crime South Africa covers solved and unsolved South African true crime cases.
Interview: Ryan Blumenthal - Author of Autopsy
In today's episode, I interview Ryan Blumenthal, author of the newly-published book, Autopsy. Ryan is a forensic pathologist and his book is a fascinating foray into this vital component of the death investigation (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)
Interview: Sean Baumann - Author of Madness
Dr Sean Baumann's book, Madness: Stories of Uncertainty and Hope, has recently been published and in this episode, I chat to him about the book as well as his experience as a psychiatrist specializing in schizophrenia and psychotic illnesses (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support…
Episode 36 - The Unsolved Murder of Sibille Zanner
In September 2002, on a clear spring night, Sibille Zanner parked outside the home of her friends. She would be found half an hour later with a crossbow dart in her head. A year later, an arrest would be made, but this would just be the start of a mystery…
Spotlight Minisode 17
A round-up of the most shocking and tragic true-crime cases in the South African media in the last few weeks. (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) (Link to Dead Curious Podcast: https://deadcuriouspod.wixsite.com/info)
Episode 35 - The Crimes of "P"
In October 2002, a 12-year-old Pietermaritzburg girl was arrested on suspicion of murder. The girl, dubbed "P", would soon become South Africa's youngest convicted murderer (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)
Spotlight Minisode: The Missing
South Africa has a huge number of open, unsolved missing person cases at any given time. In this minisode, we discuss some of the advances that have been made by the SAPS to solve this problem and we look at 10 unsolved missing person cases (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support…
Episode 34 - The Adlington Family Murders
On the 16th of January 2002, something was very wrong in the Adlington family home. The events of that morning would leave only one survivor, barely clinging to life, with a terrifying story to tell (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal…
Interview with Tanya Farber
Just 5% of all murderers are female, but when they do commit murder, they are among the most heinous of criminals. Today we interview Tanya Farber, author of the compelling book, Blood on her Hands, and get some of her insights into women who kill (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support…
Episode 33 - The Murder of Karabo Mokoena
In April 2017, 22-year-old Karabo Mokoena went missing. Just a few days later her badly burned body was found in a field. Her boyfriend, Sandile Mantsoe claimed she had committed suicide. The truth was far more horrific.(24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on…
Episode 32 - The Waterkloof 4 (Part 2)
In Part 2 of our coverage of the Waterkloof 4 case, we discuss some glaring inconsistencies in the evidence and ask the question - was justice really done? (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)
Episode 32 - The Waterkloof 4 - Part 1
On the 3rd of December 2001, the body of an identified man was found in Moreleta Park. 18 months later, a teenager would confess to his teacher that he and six of his friends had been keeping a deadly secret. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa)…
Spotlight Minisode 15
Although crime statistics have plummeted during lockdown, the most horrific of criminals has not been stopped by its regulations. In our first minisode since the start of lockdown we discuss some of the vicious murders that have been committed in the last two months. Our first crime fiction book review…
Episode 31 - The Mine Dump Child Killer
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 most horrendous crimes. His eventual downfall would come…
Episode 30 - The Murder of Taliep Petersen
On the 16th of December 2006, South Africa lost one of its brightest stars in the performing arts. Taliep Petersen was gunned down in what, at the time, seemed to be a home invasion gone wrong. Soon though, evidence would emerge that this devastating loss had been caused by someone…
Episode 29 - The Jeppe Pyromaniac
1997 was a year in which a rare type of serial killer would make himself known in South Africa. The Jeppe Pyromaniac was not one of the country's most prolific serial killers by any stretch, but he was certainly one of the most unique. All the more confounding in this…
Episode 28 - The Murder of Gabriela Kabrins Alban
On the 29th of July 2015, staff at a Camps Bay hotel entered a room and discovered the brutally beaten and defiled body of 39-year-old American tourist, Gabriela Kabrins Alban. In what would become an international case, her Guatemalan boyfriend was arrested for her murder. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support…
Episode 27 - The Murder of Sheldean Human
On the 18th of February 2007, a quiet Sunday afternoon, 7-year-old Sheldean Human vanished from the front yard of her home. Two weeks later her murderer would point out the location of her body and questions would begin to be asked about more than just her death. (24-hr trauma helpline…
Episode 26 - The Murder of Michael Van Eck
On the 3rd of April 2011, a gruesome discovery in a cemetery in Welkom shocked the country. Part of a dismembered body was found in a shallow grave, but it would be the location of the rest of the remains and the young couple who were arrested for the crime…
Episode 25 - The Scissors Murder
In November 1974, 46-year-old housewife and mother, Susanna Van Der Linde was brutally beaten and stabbed to death with a pair of scissors in her home. The investigation would lead police into one of the most bizarre cases South Africa had ever seen and reveal its youngest female killer. (24-hr…
Episode 24 - The Murder of Connor Isaacs
On the 27th of March 2019, 14-year-old Connor Isaacs was home alone. It was school holidays and his dad was at work. Connor didn't mind, though, he was playing Xbox and they had moved to a new, safe neighbourhood just the week before. Sadly, Connor was anything but safe and…