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The Citizen
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Story of 1990s serial killer Moses Sithole set to make its debut on Showmax
While serving a 2 410-year prison sentence, Sithole is currently studying law after completing a degree in theology. In just over a year, 1990s serial killer Moses Sithole murdered 38 people, sexually molested 40 and committed six robberies. These crimes were in broad daylight, while Sithole was sober and just a few months after Nelson Mandela had become South Africa's first democratically elected president. 'This was the biggest case of our history at the time,' says former detective Derrick Nosworthy in the trailer of the series on Sithole. 'I don't think we had ever had a case where there were so many people murdered by potentially one offender.' The abovementioned crimes are the ones for which Sithole was later convicted, and his story will be told in a three-part series on Showmax, directed by Jasyn Howes, who also directed another doccie of a Mzansi 1990s serial killer, Boetie Boer. 'It was a natural progression from my previous series, where I had met one of the principal characters in the story during my research phase on the last series,' Howes tells The Citizen. 'When I heard the story, I immediately knew I needed to tell this story, but it would need to wait. Often stories happen upon us, and I am very grateful that this one did.' ALSO READ: Lasizwe cuts ties with MultiChoice amid podcast payment dispute Telling the Sithole story Thirty years ago, then-rookie journalist Tamsen de Beer was working the night shift at The Star newspaper when she received a life-changing call from someone claiming to be South Africa's most prolific serial killer. Through repeated conversations, the two developed a disturbing rapport that bears resemblance to Stockholm Syndrome. 'It was like a journey I was on with him,' de Beer says in the trailer. 'We were bonded in a strange, ugly way. I was hoping he was okay all the time, which is absolutely crazy.' 'He was our Ted Bundy,' says Howes about Sithole, comparing him to the famed US serial killer, Bundy, who murdered dozens of young women and girls between 1974 and 1978. The ABC Killer is his second series in a row for Showmax about a 90s serial killer, the first Boetie Boer, which received a nomination at last year's South African Film and Television Awards for Best Documentary Series and Best Editor (Jaco Laubscher, who also cut The ABC Killer). For the new series, Howes tracked down many of those closest to the story, including de Beer and her night editor, Alameen Brendan Templeton, who admits in the trailer that he was worried his journalist 'could end up as one of his victims.' While serving a 2,410-year prison sentence, Sithole is currently studying law after completing a degree in theology. ALSO READ: Hey Neighbour Festival postponed as organisers negotiate new dates with artists Howes — the storyteller Howes was a nine-year-old during the time and says he remembers the atmosphere of the country at the time. 'I remember the long lines of people standing to vote, and I remember the social fabric of my classrooms beginning to change. It was an exciting time, and it felt like every day something new and interesting was happening,' said The director, who has worked in film, commercials, and documentaries, says South Africa has a wealth of stories to tell across multiple genres. Saying the country's landscape, history and varied cultural mix make South Africa a storytelling goldmine. 'It excites me that our local platforms are providing more and more opportunities to tell local stories, and I think it is only a matter of time before international audiences start to see our content as viable viewing options,' said Howes. Howes says he's always hands-on with his projects, thanks to his background in writing, directing, cinematography, and editing. 'So I apply all of those skills in the projects I create, and it's very important for me to have a meaningful handle on the research, interviewing the story stakeholders and then figuring out how I want to visually tell the story. 'The first longer form documentary I made, I played all the creative roles bar illustration, and this gives me confidence in knowing that I can take on a project and feel confident to execute it,' he said. The ABC Killer will be available to binge on Showmax from Tuesday, 22 July. NOW READ: How the last episode of 'Shaka iLembe' made Nomzamo Mbatha feel like a 'new person'
IOL News
02-07-2025
- IOL News
Through the lens of horror: Jasyn Howes explores the gripping tale of 'The ABC Killer', Moses Sithole
Gifter Ngobenisen stars as Moses Sithole in 'The ABC Killer'. Image: Supplied As South Africa was celebrating the dawn of democracy in the mid-1990s, a serial killer was on the loose, determined to exact revenge on as many women as he could. Taking advantage of their newfound freedom of movement, Moses Sithole would prey on defenceless ladies who were in search of job opportunities in Gauteng at the time. Dubbed the 'ABC Killer' – a name derived from his modus operandi of targeting young, black women across vulnerable areas like Atteridgeville, Boksburg and Cleveland, he would appear charming and friendly, meeting them in public places with the promise of an employment prospect. As they walked together, Sithole would insist that he knows a short cut, leading the woman to walk into isolated velds where he would violently rape, rob and then murder them. In about just 18 months, he is believed to have killed 72 women, making Sithole one of the country's most prolific serial killers. He was eventually convicted of 38 murders, 40 rapes and six robberies, all which he committed in broad daylight between 1994 and 1995, and all while sober and not under any substances. Now, a new documentary series, aptly titled 'The ABC Killer', is set to chronicle Sithole's reign of terror, from his first initial murder, all the way up until his being sentenced to 2 410 years in prison. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The three-part series is the work of director Jasyn Howers, who brought viewers the award-winning 'Boetie Boer.' One of the most powerful aspects of the Showmax Original, which is set to premiere on July 22, is the first-hand accounts from Tamsen de Beer, a rookie journalist at "The Star" newspaper at the time, who received calls from Sithole regarding his murder spree. Her meticulous research involving diary entries as well as transcripts from her phone conversations with Sithole, and intimate letters to clinical psychologist Dr Giada Del Fabbro, are also showcased. 'The ABC Killer' also features an anonymous inmate's video interview with Sithole, as well as official archival footage of his 1995 police questioning. Howes, in a similar fashion to "Boetie Boer", employs extensive re-enactments filmed at real-world locations integral to Sithole's story, including "The Star" newspaper headquarters and the Pretoria High Court. Meanwhile, Gifter Ngobenisen portrays Sithole, Louise van der Merwe steps into the role of De Beer and Graham Hopkins rounds off the cast as Judge George Curlewis. Howes explained during an interview with 'Independent Media Lifestyle' that 'The ABC Killer' was a natural progression from 'Boetie Boer'. 'I was doing research for that documentary when I came across Tamsen living in Cape Town,' he explained. Tamsen de Beer in 'The ABC Killer'. Image: Supplied 'I wanted to feature her in 'Boetie Boer' but I realised that she had her own story to tell.' Howes said that after doing his research and spending time with De Beer, he was determined for her to be one of the key individuals guiding this narrative and that he wanted this story to be told in a way in which it has never been portrayed before. 'One thing that has always stuck with me with this story is that if the Rugby World Cup in 1995 was Mandela's opportunity to unite a country behind a common cause, this case was also the same opportunity for a a fairly newly established SA Police Service who came together across racial lines to prove that they were there to serve the people of this country and not the select few.' 'There were also very interesting things which were happening with the forensic science departments at that time, and this case put South Africa on the map in a big way.' Meanwhile, Howes also admitted that putting together a project of such magnitude was not without its challenges. 'When you are looking back 30 years, you have a tall task trying to find people from so long ago who you hope are still alive and that they still remember the details.' He added, 'I was of the assumption that it would be quite easy to get the dockets for the case files that were linked to all the different murders, but it wasn't actually that simple because the information was scattered all over the place .' 'It is not easy, but when you see the final product and hopefully audiences respond to it all well, it will make it all worth it.' Howes also believes that there are many things about 'The ABC Killer' which viewers will be able to relate to as well as be fascinated by. 'One of the things that surprised me the most was that Moses was brazen and his murders were not religiously motivated, he wasn't on drugs and he was a very cool and calculated human being who in this particular time in SA's history, was motivated largely by a distaste he had for women.' 'It is an interesting reflection of the dynamics between men and women at a point in South Africa's history where you had a largely black community who had not had freedom of movement prior to 94 and then all of a sudden, they were free to move to the big cities and to seek opportunities and Moses preyed.' 'I think they will also be interested in how the story plays out, how Moses was able to kill so many people in such a short amount of time and why he decided to engage with the most newspaper at the time to make his presence known and to almost laugh at the police and say that they didn't know what they were doing.' Howes concluded: 'This guy is unique, we never really had a killer like this in South Africa before then and since then.'
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Gripping true-crime series explores the legacy of notorious serial killer Moses Sithole
'The ABC Killer' is a twisty true-crime documentary series about serial killer Moses Sithole. Image: Supplied. The gripping trailer has been released for the upcoming true-crime documentary series, "The ABC Killer", which takes an unsettling look into the life of notorious serial killer Moses Sithole. The Showmax series revisits a dark chapter in South Africa's history, offering both a haunting narrative and a fresh perspective on a case that still sends shivers down the spine. Three decades ago, Tamsen de Beer, a rookie journalist at "The Star" newspaper, received an unprecedented call that would forever alter her life and career. The voice on the other end of the line claimed to be South Africa's most prolific serial killer, calling himself "The ABC Killer" – a name derived from his modus operandi of targeting young, black women across vulnerable areas like Atteridgeville, Boksburg and Cleveland in Gauteng. Tamsen de Beer. Image: Supplied. In a chilling confession, De Beer recounts her journey in the trailer, stating: "It was like a journey I was on with him. We were bonded in a strange, ugly way. I was hoping he was okay all the time, which is absolutely crazy." Her disturbing connection with Sithole came during the same year that the late Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first democratically elected president. Sithole was ultimately convicted of 38 murders, 40 rapes and six robberies, all committed in broad daylight over just a year and while sober. "This was the biggest case of our history at the time," reflects former detective Derrick Nosworthy in the trailer. "I don't think we had ever had a case where there were so many people murdered by potentially one offender," he continues. Former detective Derrick Nosworthy in "The ABC Killer". Image: Supplied. Director Jasyn Howes, who was a young boy in Johannesburg during the height of Sithole's killing spree, draws parallels with infamous American serial killer Ted Bundy, noting, 'He was our Ted Bundy.' The three-part series follows Howes's critically acclaimed first documentary, "Boetie Boer", about another infamous 90s serial killer, Stewart Wilken, which was nominated for various Saftas last year. In "The ABC Killer", Howes engages some of the key figures from the harrowing saga. Interviewees include de Beer alongside her night editor, Alameen Brendan Templeton, who expresses concerns for her safety. South Africa's first profiler, Micki Pistorius, and several former detectives also contribute their insights regarding one of the most chilling cases of their careers. The series brings audiences closer to the voices of resilience through firsthand accounts, such as that of survivor Buyiswa Swakhamisu, who relives her traumatic experience with Sithole. 'He used the promise of work to convince her to follow him,' it was revealed. Survivor Buyiswa Swakhamisu in "The ABC Killer". Image: Supplied. The documentary promises exclusivity with unique content, including an anonymous inmate's video interview with Sithole, as well as official archival footage of his 1995 police questioning. Howes, in a similar fashion to "Boetie Boer", employs extensive re-enactments filmed at real-world locations integral to Sithole's story, including "The Star" newspaper headquarters and the Pretoria High Court. Gifter Ngobenisen portrays Sithole, while Louise van der Merwe steps into the role of De Beer. Rounding out the cast is Graham Hopkins as Judge George Curlewis. With meticulous research involving diary entries from de Beer, transcripts of her phone conversations with Sithole, and intimate letters to clinical psychologist Dr Giada Del Fabbro, the series promises a thorough examination of a case rife with implications about society, crime and empathy. Even while serving an astonishing 2 410 years in prison, Sithole remains a chilling figure, reportedly studying law after completing a degree in theology. "The ABC Killer" is set to premiere on Showmax on Tuesday, July 22.
