Ex-Convict in Hot Water: 21-Year-Old South African on Trial for Rape and Murder of Six Zimbabwean Women

A 21-year-old South African man has caused a storm for allegedly committing rape and killing six Zimbabwean women.

How The South African Man Committed Rape And Murder Against Six Zimbabwean Women

The ex-convict, Sifiso Mkwananzi, faces charges linked to the brutal murder and rape of six Zimbabweans. The charges include six counts of murder, seven of rape, six of obstructing justice, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Sifiso is appearing in court today.

ZimLive reports that the allegations stem from the discovery of six female bodies at a panel-beating business in Rosettenville in October 2022. The state contends that Mkwananzi targeted tlof tlof workers he picked up from Johannesburg CBD between April and October 2022.

The victims’ bodies found at a panel-beating workshop include three victims now identified as Joyce Moyo, Nyarai Chihota, and Patricia Magaisa.

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Sifiso Mkwananzi admitted to killing the women, using an arm choke, and obstructing justice by concealing their bodies at various locations within the panel-beating business premises. However, he contends that the acts were not intentional:

“I could not fathom going to jail for an offence I did not commit. Killing them was just an instinctive reaction which suddenly arose during our arguments. I, therefore, deny that the murders were premeditated.”

According to the investigating officer, Vincent Saunders, the murders appear to be revenge killings following Sifiso’s 10-month imprisonment in 2021 for raping a commercial s_x worker. Saunders notes that all six women were killed in the same manner and were of Zimbabwean nationality.

Case To Go on after Failed Plea Deal

South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwana told eNCA that the prosecution told the court that Sifiso’s team tried to negotiate a plea bargain, but this failed after he refuted that he premeditated the murders.

State witnesses, including Sifiso’s father, will speak in court this week.

“Those were in dispute as they were also presented in court, so now, which means as the state, we have to lead evidence to support those allegations. We remain confident as the state that we are in a position to lead evidence. We have a number of witnesses, including the South African Police Service [Saps] and the father of the accused person before the court.”

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