The families of Sfiso Mkhwanazi’s victims say despite his life sentence, they’re still haunted by unanswered questions about the brutal killing of their loved ones.
Mkhwanazi was sentenced to six life terms earlier today, after confessing to the rape and murder of six Johannesburg sex workers.
The killing spree took place between April and October 2022, when the accused was just 19 years old.
His victims’ decomposed bodies were discovered at his father’s panel-beating workshop.
All the women were Zimbabwean nationals, working as sex workers in downtown Johannesburg.
The six-time rapist and murderer has previously admitted that he would have continued the killing spree if he was not apprehended.
Judge Cassim Moosa, who handed down the sentence, cited Mkhwanazi’s lack of remorse and high risk of re-offending as reasons for the severe penalty.
A psychiatric evaluation in August found that Mkhwanazi was of sound mind during the attacks.
It’s believed the 21-year-old targeted the Zimbabwean sex workers as revenge after a sex worker had previously accused him of rape.
In an emotional display, Pauline Chihota, daughter to one of the victims, says she’s struggling to come to terms with why her mother was killed.
All six victims were strangled, smothered, or shot to death, and their bodies left to rot.
Judge Moosa noted Mkhwanazi’s troubled upbringing, following the death of his mother and growing up in a child-headed household.
Director at the Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children, Shaheda Omar, says a lack of parental supervision may have contributed to Mkhwanazi’s disturbing behaviour.
Speaking with YNews, Dr Omar said Mkhwanazi’s brutal acts may have been an attempt to exercise control, stemming from his troubled childhood.
She’s urged parents to look out for warning signs that their children may be involved in risky behaviour, including isolation, outbursts of aggression, and substance abuse.
Written by: Naomi Kobbie
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