A South Gauteng High Court sitting in Palm Ridge, South Africa has sentenced a 21-year-old man, Sifiso Naseeb Mkhwanazi, to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of six Zimbabwean sex workers in Johannesburg.

Mkhwanazi was on Wednesday convicted of six counts of murder, six counts of rape, six counts of defeating or obstructing the administration of justice, as well as unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and was also given another 170 years for his crimes.

The trial judge, Cassim Moosa, who delivered the sentence, declared Mkhwanazi a “dangerous criminal who was arrogant and threatened the well-being of other people in society.’

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) which prosecuted the case for the state, had outlined that the plethora of charges against Mkhwanazi emanate from the discovery of six female bodies at the premises of a panel beating business owned by his father in Rosettenville, in October 2022.

“One of the caretakers had discovered a female’s deceased body at one of the unused offices at the premises and alerted the owner of the premises. The business owner, who is the father of the accused, summoned the South African Police Service (SAPS),” spokesperson for the NPA, Phindi Mjonondwane said.

“Upon investigation by SAPS members, five more bodies were discovered at various locations within the premises. Further investigations led to the arrest of Mkhwanazi.”

The NPA submitted that Mkhwanazi raped and killed the six sex workers he had picked up in the Johannesburg CBD, between April and October 2022.

During trial, Mkhwanazi admitted to killing the women, using an arm choke, and to defeating or obstructing the administration of justice by concealing their bodies at different locations at the premises of the panel beating business.

Mkhwanazi’s defence counsel, Vuyo Maqetuka, argued that he killed the sex workers after they raised the prices they had initially agreed upon, and out of fear that he would be arrested.

“The accused was triggered in all six times that he might be arrested for rape again. When they wanted more money, that’s when he was angered,” Maqetuka told the court.

However, Judge Moosa differed, saying:

“Six times, why didn’t he stay away from the sex workers?”

In delivering judgment, Judge Moosa emphasised that, despite the accused’s age at the time of the murders, he remained a dangerous criminal.

“I have carefully considered the relative age of the accused when he committed his crimes and the argument that he should be regarded as relatively youthful when considering a suitable sentence to be imposed upon him.

“Having done so and accepting that he was 19 years old at the time of the commission of the crimes, I am compelled to conclude that the supposed relative youthfulness simply pales into the background having due regard into the horrendous nature of his actions.”

The judge added that the crimes Mkhwanazi was convicted of, along with the condition of the victims’ bodies, clearly demonstrated a high level of violence against them.

“There was an extremely great degree of premeditation involved on the part of the accused over a period of time in the commission of the crimes”.

Moosa expressed the view that Mkhwanazi showed no remorse for his actions.

“The accused acknowledged that he committed the crimes. However, despite this, he does not seem to have insight into his criminality or the impact the crimes had on the victims.

“The accused has proved that he has a very poor prognosis for rehabilitation and will most likely remain a threat to society as long as he is alive. Government has identified violence against women as a national scourge.”