At the back of sex-worker killer Sifiso Mkhwanazi’s guilty verdict, activists and and NGOs once again say they’re skeptical that he was acting alone.
The Johannesburg High Court yesterday found Mkhwanazi guilty of the rape and murder of six sex workers.
The accused was arrested in October 2022 after the women’s decomposing bodies were found at his father’s panel beating workshop in the Johannesburg inner-city.
He’s been found guilty of over 20 charges, including rape, pre-mediated murder and defeating the ends of justice for concealing his victims’ bodies.
Speaking with YNews, one vocal activist from Lifeline, known as MaDudu, says the system failed Mkhwanazi from a very young age.
Mkhwanazi was forced to leave school in Grade 8 and work at his father’s business.
One of the reasons why MaDudu is convinced the 22-year-old’s father, Mark Khumalo, must be looked into.
Despite the assertions, however, the lead investigating officer in the case, Captain Vincent Saunders, says he’s confident the state has nabbed the right person.
While the accused was a teenager at the time of the murders, Saunders says the reason he was able to overpower his victims was because he was using drugs. He alleges that Tik was his drug of choice.
Saunders maintains that the suspect was acting alone.
The court has since ordered that Mkhwanazi be sent to Sterkfontein Hospital for psychiatric evaluation.
This as it seeks to determine whether he poses further risk to himself or the broader community.
The verdict is in: Sifiso Mkhwanazi found guilty! While the conviction is a step forward, we must dismantle the systems that enable violence against women. #DecrimSexWorkNow to ensure equal access to safety, security & justice. #endgbv #SayHerName pic.twitter.com/e69M3IXzxk
— Sweat (@SweatTweets) March 13, 2024
Mkhwanazi’s case has been postponed to the 8th of May for pre-sentencing proceedings. Written by Naomi Kobbie
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