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
344 Episodes
280 – 300

Episode 29 - The Jeppe Pyromaniac

True Crime South Africa — 1997 was a year in which a rare type of serial killer would make himself known in South Africa. The Jeppe Pyromaniac was not one of the country's most prolific serial killers by any stretch, but he was certainly one of the most unique. All…
8 May 2020 47 min

Episode 28 - The Murder of Gabriela Kabrins Alban

True Crime South Africa — On the 29th of July 2015, staff at a Camps Bay hotel entered a room and discovered the brutally beaten and defiled body of 39-year-old American tourist, Gabriela Kabrins Alban. In what would become an international case, her Guatemalan boyfriend was arrested for her murder…
1 May 2020 1 hr 08 min

Episode 27 - The Murder of Sheldean Human

True Crime South Africa — On the 18th of February 2007, a quiet Sunday afternoon, 7-year-old Sheldean Human vanished from the front yard of her home. Two weeks later her murderer would point out the location of her body and questions would begin to be asked about more than just…
24 Apr 2020 48 min

Episode 26 - The Murder of Michael Van Eck

True Crime South Africa — On the 3rd of April 2011, a gruesome discovery in a cemetery in Welkom shocked the country. Part of a dismembered body was found in a shallow grave, but it would be the location of the rest of the remains and the young couple who…
16 Apr 2020 1 hr 31 min

Episode 25 - The Scissors Murder

In November 1974, 46-year-old housewife and mother, Susanna Van Der Linde was brutally beaten and stabbed to death with a pair of scissors in her home. The investigation would lead police into one of the most bizarre cases South Africa had ever seen and reveal its youngest female killer. (24-hr…
12 Apr 2020 40 min

Episode 25 - The Scissors Murder

In November 1974, 46-year-old housewife and mother, Susanna Van Der Linde was brutally beaten and stabbed to death with a pair of scissors in her home. The investigation would lead police into one of the most bizarre cases South Africa had ever seen and reveal its youngest female killer. (24-hr…
12 Apr 2020 40 min

Episode 24 - The Murder of Connor Isaacs

True Crime South Africa — On the 27th of March 2019, 14-year-old Connor Isaacs was home alone. It was school holidays and his dad was at work. Connor didn't mind, though, he was playing Xbox and they had moved to a new, safe neighbourhood just the week before. Sadly, Connor…
2 Apr 2020 1 hr 08 min

Spotlight Minisode 14

In today's minisode we discuss an aspect of the Covid-19 lock down that could be overlooked with deadly consequences. We also have several updates on the murder of Tanya Flowerday which we covered in Episode 23. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on…
26 Mar 2020 21 min

Spotlight Minisode 14

In today's minisode we discuss an aspect of the Covid-19 lock down that could be overlooked with deadly consequences. We also have several updates on the murder of Tanya Flowerday which we covered in Episode 23. (24-hr trauma helpline 082-821-3447) (Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show on…
26 Mar 2020 21 min

Episode 23 - The Murder of Tanya Flowerday

True Crime South Africa — On the 13th of June 2003, 18-year-old Tanya Flowerday went to a club to watch friends play in a band. What should have been a night of innocent fun went horribly wrong when Tanya trusted the wrong person for a ride home. What followed was…
18 Mar 2020 44 min

Spotlight Minisode - The Parole Predicament

In the last few months South Africa has seen a spate of vicious crimes committed by offenders who were out on bail or parole. This is not an isolated issue and in today's minisode we discuss South Africa's prison overcrowding and how our parole system is enabling violent offenders. (Support…
12 Mar 2020 22 min

Spotlight Minisode - The Parole Predicament

In the last few months South Africa has seen a spate of vicious crimes committed by offenders who were out on bail or parole. This is not an isolated issue and in today's minisode we discuss South Africa's prison overcrowding and how our parole system is enabling violent offenders. (Support…
12 Mar 2020 22 min

Episode 22 - The Murder of Frances Rasuge

True Crime South Africa — On the 27th of August 2004, 27-year-old Frances Rasuge headed out to the hair salon to prepare for a weekend with her boyfriend. She would never be seen again. Over the next decade a story would unfold around Frances' disappearance, which had more twists and…
5 Mar 2020 53 min

A South African Mindhunter - with Dr Brin Hodgskiss

True Crime South Africa — In 2009, Dr Brin Hodgskiss released the findings of a study he conducted on South African serial killers. In this episode we talk to Dr Hodgskiss about his conversations with 13 men incarcerated for some of the most horrendous serial murders that South Africa has…
26 Feb 2020 1 hr 38 min

Episode 21 - The Crimes of Advocate Barbie

In 2001, South Africa was introduced to Cezanne Visser's blonde bombshell, persona, Advocate Barbie. Her overt sexuality, was curated by her lover, Dirk Prinsloo. While their escapades shocked everyone, it would soon be revealed that the couple were up to something far more sinister behind the scenes (24-hr trauma line:…
23 Feb 2020 1 hr 57 min

Episode 21 - The Crimes of Advocate Barbie

In 2001, South Africa was introduced to Cezanne Visser's blonde bombshell, persona, Advocate Barbie. Her overt sexuality, was curated by her lover, Dirk Prinsloo. While their escapades shocked everyone, it would soon be revealed that the couple were up to something far more sinister behind the scenes (24-hr trauma line:…
23 Feb 2020 1 hr 57 min

Spotlight Minisode 12

True Crime South Africa — In this week's minisode we cover four cases that are currently in the media including the kidnapping of 8-year-old Tazne van Wyk and all of the strange and frightening accusations being made about her kidnapper. (Support the show through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Support the show through…
13 Feb 2020 19 min

Episode 20 - The Venter Family Massacre

In 2004, Flippie Venter was on a peacekeeping mission in Burundi with the SANDF when he was arrested for the rape and murder of a 14-year-old child prostitute. While out on bail and awaiting trial for this crime, he grew concerned that his family would cut ties with him if…
6 Feb 2020 49 min

Episode 20 - The Venter Family Massacre

In 2004, Flippie Venter was on a peacekeeping mission in Burundi with the SANDF when he was arrested for the rape and murder of a 14-year-old child prostitute. While out on bail and awaiting trial for this crime, he grew concerned that his family would cut ties with him if…
6 Feb 2020 49 min

Spotlight Minisode 11

True Crime South Africa — Siphesihle Dlamini was 3 years old when she was snatched from within metres of her mother and surrounded by an entire church congregation. Today's Spotlight minisode is dedicated to the ongoing search for Siphesihle. (Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesa) (Paypal: paypal.me/truecrimesa) (CIC 24-hour trauma centre: 082-821-3447)
30 Jan 2020 24 min
280 – 300