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
273 Episodes
1 – 20

Episode 149 The Serial Crimes of Rosemary Ndlovu Part 2

When a police officer was arrested for a string of "killsurance" murders executed on her own family members and loved ones, South Africa was aghast at the enormity of the killer's deeds and the coldness of her crimes. Rosemary Ndlovu's public story, though, is only a fraction of the truth…
28 Mar 50 min

Episode 149 The Serial Crimes of Rosemary Ndlovu Part 1

When a police officer was arrested for a string of "killsurance" murders executed on her own family members and loved ones, South Africa was aghast at the enormity of the killer's deeds and the coldness of her crimes. Rosemary Ndlovu's public story, though, is only a fraction of the truth…
22 Mar 36 min

Episode 148 The Serial Crimes of Jimmy Maketta

In 2005, the Philippi community knew that there was a serial predator among them. It would take far too long for the SAPS to acknowledge this though, and during that time, the killer did as he pleased. When one of the Western Cape's best detectives gets the docket, though, things…
17 Mar 50 min

Episode 147 The Murder of Debbie Venter

In May 2020, South Africa was in the grips of the covid-19 lockdown when stage-4 cancer sufferer, Debbie Venter vanished without a trace. The woman who had elected to care for Debbie in her last days claimed she'd left of her own volition, but the detective tasked with finding Debbie…
10 Mar 52 min

Episode 146 The Murder of Jacques du Plessis

When a man is shot dead in his home, his wife says that an intruder walked in the door and killed him. Several CCTV cameras, in the home, though, will provide evidence of the truth behind Jacques du Plessis' murder. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa)…
25 Feb 42 min

Episode 145 The Murder of Marie Verwey

When an 81-year-old resident of Paradyskloof is found brutally murdered in her home, it's clear that robbery was the motive, but it seems to investigators that this may not have been a random home invasion and the perpetrator is disturbingly close to home. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show…
19 Feb 38 min

Full Case Bonus Episode The Murder of Anisha Van Niekerk

This episode was first released in TCSA's Patreon Feed When 23-year-old Anisha van Niekerk disappears while visiting with her mother and stepfather, her friends and family are terrified that she may have fallen prey to a dangerous stranger. When her remains are finally found, though, it becomes clear the danger…
14 Feb 46 min

Episode 144 The Serial Crimes of Mhlengwa Zikode

In 1995, against the backdrop of violent faction clashes, a predator is stalking Donnybrook in Kwazulu-Natal. As he uses the political violence to his benefit, multiple victims will fall prey to him before he is eventually identified. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show…
5 Feb 37 min

Episode 143 The Murder of Juanita Josephs

In a small town called Sir Lowry's Pass, two predators are hunting. It's 2009, and 7-year-old Juanita Josephs disappears from outside her home. The horrifying riddle will be solved within 24 hours, but the truth is more than most can handle. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon…
28 Jan 43 min

Episode 142 The Murder of Refilwe Seroba & Sarah Makwati

In 2007, sisters Refilwe Seroba & Sarah Makwati were murdered on the same day in two different locations by the same offender - Refilwe's husband. Although the man admitted guilt immediately it would be almost nine years before the bars of a prison cell closed behind him for the final…
21 Jan 47 min

Episode 141 The Murder of Annette Bouwer

When 47-year-old Annette Bouwer suddenly fell deathly ill everyone around her was completely shocked. The woman had been the picture of health but within months she was found dead in her bed by her husband Colin. The doctor who had treated Annette, though, felt that something was off, and he…
14 Jan 59 min

Bonus Episode: 2023 Wrap & Blooper Reel

In the final in a series of bonus episodes for the season, I share a wrap of the pod (and my) activities in 2023, what to expect in 2024, and a blooper reel of my funniest slip-ups and furry interruptions in 2023. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on…
1 Jan 39 min

Episode 140 The Murder of Charmelin Davids

When 36-year-old Charmelin Davids is murdered in a random attack on the street her family is horrified at the brutality of the attack. When the pieces of the puzzle start to fit together, though, their horror only increases as they realise her murder was anything but random. (24-hr trauma helpline…
31 Dec 2023 45 min

Bonus Episode CBS Justice Interview Omnibus

In the next in your series of festive bonus episodes, I've collated all of the interviews I've had the honour of conducting with some of the stars of CBS Justice's Originals and other series into an omnibus. Listen to crime fighting stars Dr Richard Shepherd, Prof Paul Britton, Louise Shorter,…
26 Dec 2023 2 hr 18 min

Episode 139 The Kroonstad Rail Disaster

In January 2018 as passengers on the Shosholoza Meyl were heading home to Gauteng from their festive celebrations with family in other provinces, the unthinkable happened, and for 24 passengers, the journey and their lives, were cut short. Listen to the So What? Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-so-what/id1713698464 (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support…
23 Dec 2023 43 min
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