TimesLIVE Podcasts True Crime South Africa

True Crime South Africa

True Crime South Africa is the first victim-focused true-crime podcast in the country.

Host, Nicole Engelbrecht, researches each case herself using media coverage, trial footage, social media sources and often by talking to some of the individuals involved. Using her skills as a creative writer and her passion for true crime, she crafts each script to ensure that listeners are given a deep dive into the case mechanics as well as an understanding of the victims as human beings.

The podcast covers both solved and unsolved South African true crime cases. The unsolved cases are often cold cases which can benefit from awareness being brought to them. This concept has been used in the US for many years and to great success. The listenership formed around true crime podcasts becomes a community that advocates for victims and resolution for families. South African victims now have their own voice too.

True Crime South Africa publishes weekly, alternating between full-length case episodes and shorter minisodes which discuss true crime cases that are currently in the media. The podcast launched on the 22nd of June 2019 and is making waves in the South African podcast community. On the True Crime South Africa social media pages, South African true crime fans finally have a place to call home where they can express their views on cases and discuss the details with like-minded people.

True Crime South Africa is published in conjunction with Arena Holdings, publishers of TimesLIVE, BusinessLIVE, and SowetanLIVE. 

Keywords: crime, true crime, murder, abduction, South Africa, police, law and order
Weekly English Explicit South Africa True Crime · News Narrated by Scott Peter Smith
352 Episodes
220 – 240

Episode 58 - The Murder of Sinoxolo Mafevuka

On the 2nd of March 2016, a young boy on his way to school discovered the body of a woman in a communal toilet. The investigation that followed would highlight many of the deep inequities in our society and leave a family desperate for answers (Support our Sponsor: https://www.printcrowd.co.za/) (24-hr…
10 Sep 2021 1 hr 07 min

Spotlight Minisode Serial Offender Sentence Analysis

Serial rapist, Thokozani Jiyane, was recently sentenced to eight life sentences plus 223 years for his crimes. What does this sentence actually mean, though? In this minisode, we analyze this sentence with help from BDK Attorneys (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on…
4 Sep 2021 22 min

Episode 57 - The Mystery of Meadowbrook Doe

In 2012, a contractor doing renovations uncovered skeletal remains under a pool that was installed in 1989. The investigation would lead to many different theories and even speculation that one of South Africa's most infamous criminals may be involved in the death of Meadowbrook Doe (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support…
27 Aug 2021 55 min

Spotlight Minisode 33

In this week's spotlight minisode we look at updates in the cases of Yolandi Botes, Susan Rohde, Rameez Patel, and the three deaths at the home of property developer Theo Kleynhans. (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) (Listen to the…
20 Aug 2021 29 min

Episode 56 - The Serial Crimes of Bongani Mfeka

In 1995, women were being found strangled to death in Kranskop, Kwazulu-Natal, some clever police work would result in an arrest and our introduction to a serial murderer who seemed to break all the rules (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal…
13 Aug 2021 53 min

Episode 55 - The Murder of Sandra Malcolm

In April 2015, 18-year-old Sheree Prince left Citrusdal for Cape Town. There, the shy and withdrawn teenager would embark on a crime spree that would end with the horrific murder of a defenseless elderly woman (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on PayPal…
23 Jul 2021 44 min

Spotlight Minisode: Update - Episode 51

This week we use the Spotlight minisode platform to share some updates in the murder of Leslie Cilliers which we covered in Episode 51 (Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/cop-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) Sign Roxanne's Petition · Support the…
16 Jul 2021 30 min

Episode 54 - The Angel of Vanderbijlpark

In 2002, police descended on the home of Marietjie Prinsloo, and the woman who had been dubbed, "The Angel of Vanderbijlpark" was about to be unmasked for what she really was. The investigation into her crimes would lead to the longest cumulative prison sentence in South African history. (24-hr trauma…
9 Jul 2021 53 min

Spotlight Minisode Child Abuse in South Africa

In this spotlight minisode we discuss child abuse in South Africa and what can and is being done to get help to children that need it. (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) (https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/what-child-abuse) Indicators of Child Abuse · Support the…
25 Jun 2021 24 min

Episode 53 - The Murder of Shamonique Claasen

On the 27th of February 2016, 10-year-old Shamonique Claasen disappeared without a trace. When her body is discovered the investigation will uncover a trail of domestic violence that led to the ultimate horror (Enter our giveaway: https://king-online.co.za/tcsa-competition) (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show…
18 Jun 2021 46 min

Episode 53 - The Murder of Shamonique Claasen

On the 27th of February 2016, 10-year-old Shamonique Claasen disappeared without a trace. When her body is discovered the investigation will uncover a trail of domestic violence that led to the ultimate horror (Enter our giveaway: https://king-online.co.za/tcsa-competition) (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show…
18 Jun 2021 46 min

Spotlight Minisode 30

In today's spotlight minisode we explore three cases that are in the media right now: the murder of Yolandi Botes, the murder of Naadira Vanker, and the ongoing trial of serial murderer and rapist, Xolani Sojada. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on…
11 Jun 2021 21 min

Interview: Mark Shaw - Author of Give Us More Guns

In today's episode, I speak to Mark Shaw, the author of the new book, Give Us More Guns. The book reveals how South Africa's gangs were armed and pulls back the curtain on the links between organized crime and so many other facets of our society (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447)…
4 Jun 2021 51 min

Interview: Mark Shaw - Author of Give Us More Guns

In today's episode, I speak to Mark Shaw, the author of the new book, Give Us More Guns. The book reveals how South Africa's gangs were armed and pulls back the curtain on the links between organized crime and so many other facets of our society (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447)…
4 Jun 2021 51 min

Episode 52 - Part 4: The Van Breda Family Murders

In this final part of episode 52, we reveal the blood evidence that spoke on behalf of the victims and consider what may have really happened in the Van Breda home that night. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Enter the King Online Giveaway: https://king-online.co.za/tcsa-competition) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support…
30 May 2021 1 hr 44 min

Episode 52 - Part 3 The Van Breda Family Murders

In part 3 of our series on the Van Breda family murders, we get into the physical evidence and shocking testimony of a threat against the Van Breda's in the weeks before the murders. (Enter the King Online Giveaway: https://king-online.co.za/tcsa-competition) (Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on…
22 May 2021 1 hr 10 min

Episode 52 Part 2: The Van Breda Family Murders

In part 1 of the Van Breda Family murders, three family members were killed murderer. In this episode, Marliby an axe-wielding van Breda clings to life, and we discuss the probability of the murders having been committed by intruders (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support…
14 May 2021 1 hr 11 min

Episode 52 Part 2: The Van Breda Family Murders

In part 1 of the Van Breda Family murders, three family members were killed by an axe-wielding murderer. In this episode, Marli van Breda clings to life, and we discuss the probability of the murders having been committed by intruders (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa)…
14 May 2021 1 hr 11 min

Episode 52 - Part 1: The Van Breda Family Murder

On the 27th of January 2015, emergency services surrounded a home in the upmarket De Zalze estate in Stellenbosch. Inside they would find a family slaughtered with one young girl clinging to life and another family member walking around unharmed. In Part 1 of this episode, we explore the background…
7 May 2021 56 min
220 – 240