Murder & Mystery Mzansi | South Africa

Savannah

Welcome to Murder & Mystery Mzansi, the podcast where we dig into South Africa’s most chilling crimes, unsolved mysteries, unimaginable tales and stories that’ll have you triple checking your burglar bars every night. I’m Savannah, your host, and just like you, I’m obsessed with true crime, the unexplained, and the downright bizarre. From township legends to high-profile heists, cold cases that haunt our communities to serial killers who slipped through the cracks - we’re covering it all. This is Mzansi like you’ve never heard it before.

Episodes

  1. The Boksburg Lake Murder

    FEB 8

    The Boksburg Lake Murder

    In October 1964, a teacher's morning stroll by Boksburg Lake turned into a nightmare with the discovery of a suitcase containing a woman's torso. With no identity and her remains scattered across the city, the victim faded into records as another Jane Doe. She was buried in an unmarked grave, her case growing colder by the day. We trace the grisly trail to a woman's fight for the truth that would lead detectives to a shocking hiding place and a killer who chose a bizarre, final act. For a more immersive experience, visit my ⁠YouTube Channel⁠  where episodes include photographs, maps, and relevant media to bring each case to life. Email murdermysterymzansi@gmail.com to share cases/stories you want covered and feel free to share your own stories. #southafrica #southafricantruecrime

    16 min
  2. Krafting a Murder - The Story of Dorethea Kraft/van der Merwe

    12/01/2025

    Krafting a Murder - The Story of Dorethea Kraft/van der Merwe

    In 1914, Dorethea Kraft was struggling to run her drought-stricken farm, Treurfontein. She entered a business deal with entrepreneur Louis Tumpowsky, which she believed would save her and her daughter. But when the fine print threatened to take everything she owned, she tried everything - from legal appeals to love potions. Her desperate alliance with a witchdoctor named Jim Bird set in motion a chain of events that would spiral into violence and spark a years-long manhunt that ends in a historic courtroom drama Subscribe for more deep dives into South Africa's most compelling and controversial true crime stories. For a more immersive experience, visit my YouTube Channel  where episodes include photographs, maps, and relevant media to bring each case to life. Email murdermysterymzansi@gmail.com to share cases/stories you want covered and feel free to share your own stories. #southafrica #southafricantruecrime

    17 min
  3. A Killer Treat

    09/28/2025

    A Killer Treat

    The chocolates were a gift. The first bite was a death sentence. In 1988, a promising attorney received a gift of chocolates in the mail. Minutes after taking a single bite, his world began to shatter. This is the story of Chris Taylor, his secretary Jeanette, and their agonising fight for survival. Join us as we unwrap this twisted tale of obsession that had the nation asking: who really sent the killer treat? For a more immersive experience, visit my ⁠YouTube Channel⁠  where episodes include photographs, maps, and relevant media to bring each case to life. Email murdermysterymzansi@gmail.com to share cases/stories you want covered and feel free to share your own stories. #southafrica #southafricantruecrime

    18 min
  4. The Panga Man

    08/30/2025

    The Panga Man

    If you’re taking a drive up lover's lane, you better watch out for the Panga Man... In this episode, we delve into one of South Africa's most interesting true crime stories: the reign of Phineas Tshitaudzi, the dreaded "Panga Man." For six years in 1950s apartheid-era Pretoria, a shadow terrorised couples parked in secluded spots, using a homemade machete as his weapon. The most terrifying part? The police couldn't catch him. No matter how many traps they set, he was always one step ahead. This is more than a true crime story; it's a historical thriller that exposes the dark underbelly of apartheid South Africa and a legend that still echoes in warnings today. For a more immersive experience, visit my YouTube channel where episodes include photographs, maps, and relevant media to bring each case to life. Email murdermysterymzansi@gmail.com to share cases/stories you want covered and feel free to share your own stories #southafrica #southafricantruecrime

    18 min
  5. Welcome to Murder & Mystery Mzansi

    TRAILER

    Welcome to Murder & Mystery Mzansi

    Trailer

    2 min

Trailer

About

Welcome to Murder & Mystery Mzansi, the podcast where we dig into South Africa’s most chilling crimes, unsolved mysteries, unimaginable tales and stories that’ll have you triple checking your burglar bars every night. I’m Savannah, your host, and just like you, I’m obsessed with true crime, the unexplained, and the downright bizarre. From township legends to high-profile heists, cold cases that haunt our communities to serial killers who slipped through the cracks - we’re covering it all. This is Mzansi like you’ve never heard it before.

Information