Sipho Thwala

Case record: Sipho Thwala

Background

Sipho Mandla Agmatir Thwala (born 1968) was a South African rapist and serial killer convicted in 1999 for the murders of 16 women and 10 rapes. He was known by the moniker "The Phoenix Strangler" and was also referred to as Sipho Agmatir Thwala.

Thwala was born and raised in KwaMashu. He began an alleged year-long rape and murder spree in 1996 in KwaZulu-Natal province, and his modus operandi involved luring women to the sugarcane fields of Mount Edgecombe near Phoenix with the promise of employment as domestic servants in hotels.

Thwala spoke English, Afrikaans and Zulu. He grew up as a labourer in the cane fields where he sold cane to local residents. His mother, Khathazile Ntanzi, described him as an intelligent man who could read and write even though he never received schooling beyond Grade 1. His sister, Zibekile, described him as a normal child, a gentleman and helpful around the house, and said he bought groceries when he had money.

"He was a normal child, a gentleman and helpful around the house. He also bought us groceries when he had money. We are relieved he has been sent to jail. Who knows? He may have turned against us one day," said his sister, Zibekile.

"He never changed his behaviour. He would even occasionally condemn the killings and said he hoped the killer would be caught soon," said his mother.

A police profile described Thwala as "intelligent and charming to women, but extremely dangerous".

"intelligent and charming to women, but extremely dangerous"

Police forensic psychologist Micky Pistorius provided additional characterisation, including an explanation of why serial killers become serial killers.

"The main reason a person becomes a serial killer lies within the individual himself," Dr Pistorius said shortly before Thwala's arrest.
"He generally has a fixation during his early childhood years. The worrying thing is that he will kill until he gets caught," she said.

Thwala appeared normal around his family and was described as above average intelligence.

The offence

Thwala lured victims to the sugarcane fields of Mount Edgecombe, near Phoenix. After the victims were deep within the cane fields, Thwala attacked them by binding them with their own underwear, raping and strangling them, and then bludgeoning them.

He then buried victims in shallow graves. After the attacks, he set fire to the cane fields in hopes of destroying any physical evidence of his attack.

In some accounts, the killings were described as involving 19 victims; the convictions were for 16 murders and 10 rapes.

Investigation

Thwala was arrested in 1997 after South African police matched DNA found on the victims to DNA taken from Thwala in 1994 when he was arrested and acquitted of a rape.

Days after DNA samples taken from Thwala matched those taken from several crime scenes, he was arrested for the serial killings. Thwala had been released on the rape and murder charges in 1994 and later was acquitted of those charges.

A police profile used by investigators included a forensic psychologist, Micky Pistorius, who described Thwala as "intelligent and charming to women, but extremely dangerous". Thwala also was fitted the profile compiled by the police forensic psychologist.

Nine of the serial killer's victims had yet to be identified.

Arrest

Thwala was arrested for the serial killings at his Besters squatter camp home in a pre-dawn swoop by police in August 1997.

Trial

The trial of South Africa's alleged can field serial killer began in the Durban High Court. The trial was expected to run for more than a month and more than 100 witnesses were expected to testify.

The court considered that Thwala was facing 16 counts of murder, 17 counts of rape and one count of attempted murder after being found mentally fit to stand.

One key witness, Thandi Conelia Majola, 30, disappeared. She was being sought by Superintendent Philip Veldhuizen, of the Durban police's murder and robbery unit, after moving house without leaving a forwarding address.

Majola was described as a dressmaker from the informal Bhambai settlement outside KwaMashu. She allegedly came face to face with the killer and was allegedly attacked on March 15, 1996, while walking on the North Coast Road. She was allegedly promised employment and asked to accompany him. She allegedly forced her into the field near a sugar cane plantation and tried to throttle her, and she managed to escape after "reasoning" with him, according to investigators.

He managed to escape after "reasoning" with him, according to investigators.

The prosecution information described a pattern where the killer lured women into accompanying him by offering them employment. The court also was described as hearing evidence that attacks were brutal and involved victims' underwear.

The case was described as involving the Durban High Court and a Dunbar judge / sentencing in relation to the outcome on March 31, 1999 and the sentence date referenced as March 29, 1999 in the status field.

Sentencing

On March 31, 1999, a Dunbar judge sentenced Thwala to 506 years in prison after he was found guilty of 16 slayings and other charges. In handing down the sentence, Judge Vivienne Niles-Duner said it was evident Thwala had shown no remorse for his actions.

Judge Niles-Duner said photographs of victims and evidence led during the trial showed that the attacks were brutal and the lengthy sentence would prevent parole.

Judge Niles-Duner said photographs of victims and evidence led during the trial showed that the attacks were brutal and the lengthy sentence will prevent parole.

He was found guilty of one charge of attempted murder, seven of indecent assault and three of rape. In one description of the charges and verdicts, Thwala was found guilty on 27 charges of murder, attempted murder, indecent assault and rape, including findings of 16 murder charges, one of attempted murder, seven of indecent assault and three of rape.

Thwala, 31, showed no remorse for his crimes.

Appeals

No appeals were described in the provided material.

Aftermath

Shortly before Thwala's sentencing, a rumour spread around Inanda that Thwala had been seen at his family's home. An angry mob converged on the house and set it alight after locking his mother, Khathazile 65, and his sister Zibekile 41, inside as they prepared to go to church. A neighbour came to their rescue by dragging them from the blazing dwelling.

Fearing for their lives, the family fled to the police station with Zibekile's six-month-old son, Mthandeni, and her daughters Fikile, 2, Ntombizakhona, 7, and Phumelele, 8.

At the time of the reign of terror, neither Thwala's mother nor his sister suspected that he was the killer.

Both Thwala's mother and sister said that they believed he "got what was coming to him" when Judge Vivienne Niles-Duner imposed the 506-year sentence.

Both Thwala's mother and sister said that they believed he "got what was coming to him" when Judge Vivienne Niles-Duner imposed the 506-year sentence on him.

Timeline

• 1994 — Thwala was arrested for rape and was later acquitted.
• 1996 — Thwala began an alleged year-long rape and murder spree in KwaZulu-Natal province, including an alleged attack on March 15, 1996 involving Thandi Conelia Majola.
• 1997 — DNA samples matched those taken from crime scenes, and Thwala was arrested in August 1997 at his Besters squatter camp home.
• March 15, 1996 — Thandi Conelia Majola, 30, was allegedly attacked while walking on the North Coast Road.
• August 1997 — Thwala was arrested in a pre-dawn swoop at his Besters squatter camp home.
• March 31, 1999 — Thwala was found guilty and sentenced to 506 years in prison.
• April 10, 1999 — Six relatives were living in fear at a police station after members of their community burnt down their house and threatened to kill them, and they had been holed up for the last two weeks.

Other details

Thwala’s convicted offences were described as including murders of 16 women and rapes involving 10 rapes. He was also described as suspected of raping and strangling 19 victims with their underwear before burying them in shallow graves.

Thwala's arrest and sentencing narrative included that he set fire to cane fields to destroy evidence.

At trial, it was described that the killer was facing counts of murder and rape and had been found mentally fit to stand.

Thwala's house was burned down by an angry mob who had received a false tip-off that he was there.

After sentencing, six relatives of Thwala were described as living in fear at a police station in KwaMashu police station in Durban, after members of their community burned down their house and threatened to kill them. The mother, sister, three nieces and nephew of Sipho Agmatir Thwala were said to have been holed up for the last two weeks.