Mkhwanazi sex worker murder trial hears of extortion, fear, remorse
A sex worker, referred to as Miss A in court, has rubbished the claim by alleged serial killer Sifiso Mkhwanazi that all his victims tried to exploit him when he killed them.
The multiple murder trial began on 2 February but was paused when a trial-within-a-trial was held to decide the admissibility of a confession the accused made to his father.
The state’s third witness in the main trial, Miss A, concluded her testimony in the High Court sitting in Palm Ridge on Tuesday.
She told the court that she had been working in the Johannesburg CBD for three years alongside one of Mkhwanazi’s alleged victims, Joyce Moyo.
Moyo was last seen alive by Miss A on 2 October 2022 when she was picked up by a man in a white van.
“She was wearing a short skirt and a denim jacket and was carrying a black satchel backpack on her back,” Miss A told the court.
CCTV footage shows Mkhwanazi driving through the gates of his father’s car repairs workshop with a woman on the night in question.
READ: Man arrested for 6 bodies in Joburg CBD faces 1 murder charge
In his admissions, the accused claims the alleged attempts to swindle money from him brought back memories of the time he was jailed for 10 months over a rape charge that occurred under similar circumstances.
He says he killed Moyo and five other sex workers; Chihota Nyarai, Patricia Magaiza, and three other women who remain unidentified; because he was afraid that they would falsely accuse him of rape when he wouldn’t pay them more money.
“With the fear that they will accuse him of rape again, he reacted by strangling them and then hid their bodies,” read the plea and sentence agreement that was presented by the state at the start of the trial.
But, after detailing how prices are determined and agreed upon, Miss A said it’s often the clients who try to take advantage of them.
“In most cases what causes arguments with clients is sometimes they would pay in advance for extra services, and after spending an hour with them, they demand the money back…
“When the client takes you to their place, they can do whatever they want with you. But when they use our services at our place of work, they don’t take chances because they know we are guarded.”
Miss A denies that she, or any of her colleagues, would threaten to lay a rape complaint against clients if they refused to pay.
MKHWANAZI SAYS HE’S REMORSEFUL, WANTED TO BE CAUGHT
The 22-year-old faces over 20 counts relating to the murders, including obstructing the administration of justice for concealing the evidence of his crimes.
In line with section 220 of the Criminal Procedure Act, Mkhwanazi made admissions assuming responsibility for the murders. However, he denies the state’s claim that he raped the women and that the murders were premeditated.
He, therefore, pleaded not guilty to all seven counts of rape, one count of robbery under aggravating circumstances, and another count of obstructing the administration of justice – in that he claims he left one of the bodies where it could be easily found because he wanted to be caught.
READ: Alleged sex worker serial killer tells court rage, fear led to murders
Last week Mkhwanazi’s father Mark Khumalo, who was the state’s second witness, denied this was the actual reason.
“The body wasn’t left there in that room to be discovered because, on that day, I believe the body was going to be removed because on Monday we were going to come to work. And prior to that, the smell was getting out of control and the people working next door were starting to complain.”
Khumalo responded with a muffled annoyance when the defence asked him what gave him the authority to decide his son was being disingenuous.
“If he had enough of the killings, it wouldn’t go in anyone’s mind to end it with leaving a body. He would have confessed.
“He would’ve gone to some people and said: ‘I’ve done this, and I’ve had enough’, rather than leaving a body to talk for itself,” testified Khumalo.
During the trial-within-a-trial, the accused claimed his father had unduly influenced him to confess to the murders but later appeared to recant his statement when on the stand.
Judge Cassim Moosa ruled in the state’s favour, admitting evidence into the main trial.
READ: ‘Serial killer’ Mkhwanazi’s confession admitted as evidence
The accused has pleaded for the court’s mercy when handing down a sentence, saying he abandoned bail because he recognised the wrongness of his deeds and must suffer the consequences.
If convicted, Mkhwanazi faces a minimum of 15 years imprisonment for each count of murder, eight years for each count of obstructing the administration of justice, five years for the unlawful possession of a firearm, and one year for the unlawful possession of ammunition.
The trial continues Wednesday with a new witness expected to take the stand.
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