In the quiet suburb of Olievenhoutbosch, Centurion, a chilling saga of deceit, violence, and unspeakable horrors unfolded. Pamela Ncumisa Selani, a seemingly ordinary 47-year-old woman, has been revealed as the perpetrator of a string of heinous crimes. She cold-heartedly murdered her two lovers, Michael Changisa and Gift Phiri, as well as her own son, Avile Jonjwana. The details of these gruesome murders read like passages from a spine-chilling crime novel, but the sad reality is that they are the harrowing acts of a deeply disturbed individual.
The tragedy began to unfold in 2016 when Pamela's relationship with her then-partner, Michael Changisa, took a sinister turn. Their romance turned sour when Pamela discovered that Changisa had infected her with a chronic disease. Fuelled by anger and a desire for revenge, Pamela sought the assistance of her second boyfriend, Gift Phiri, to carry out a plan to eliminate Changisa.
According to a neighbor, Zenzi Skosana, Pamela's motives were far from genuine affection: "Selani didn't love Changisa. She was after his RDP house and money. Whenever they fought, she would threaten to teach him a lesson."
Skosana's account sheds light on Pamela's true intentions, suggesting that her involvement with Changisa was driven by opportunism rather than genuine emotions.
Under the cover of darkness, Gift sneaked into Pamela's home, where Changisa lay asleep. Armed with a hammer, Gift ruthlessly bludgeoned Changisa to death, leaving him lifeless in the bedroom while Pamela's two young children watched in horror. The callous couple then buried the deceased lover in Pamela's yard, concealing their heinous act beneath the earth.
Changisa's sudden disappearance raised concerns among the neighbors, who, like Skosana, had grown close to him. However, Pamela dismissed their inquiries, claiming that he had returned to his hometown in the Eastern Cape.
Skosana, suspicious of Pamela's ever-changing stories, began to connect the dots: "Her behavior was suspicious. I knew she had something to do with Changisa, Phiri, and Jonjwana's disappearance."
As the web of deception spun wider, Pamela delved deeper into her sinister plans. A year later, she conspired with her own son, 17-year-old Avile, to eliminate Gift Phiri. Pamela alleged that Phiri had been abusing her, thus providing the twisted justification for their murderous actions. This time, they resorted to poison, ending Phiri's life before burying him in a shallow grave atop Changisa's resting place.
Avile, who had succumbed to a drug addiction, became a liability for Pamela. He began to demand money and threatened to report his mother's crimes to the authorities. Fearing exposure, Pamela decided to eliminate her own flesh and blood.
In a horrifying act witnessed by Avile's two siblings, aged 14 and 5, Pamela bludgeoned her own son to death with a hammer and buried him alongside his victims, callously disregarding the lives she had taken.
But evil deeds cannot remain hidden forever. In a twist of fate, Pamela's monstrous secret was exposed when she took her 14-year-old son to a traditional healer in August 2020. Unbeknownst to Pamela, her son divulged the horrifying truth about the murders to the healer.
The sangoma, quick to act, alerted a community leader, who then reported the matter to the police. On that fateful day, Pamela and her son were arrested upon their return home, marking the end of her reign of terror.
During the trial, Pamela pleaded not guilty, but the evidence stacked against her was too overwhelming to ignore. Despite her attempts to evade justice, the court convicted her for the gruesome murders.
In a powerful statement, Judge Papi Masopa condemned Pamela's lack of remorse, branding her an "evil person" who cold-heartedly took the lives of her two lovers and her own child. The judge's sentiments were echoed by State advocate Eric Sihlangu, who urged the court to consider the societal outcry against gender-based violence.
In a final act of justice, Pamela was sentenced to three life terms for her crimes, along with an additional five years for obstructing the administration of justice. The court rejected her plea for a reduced sentence, citing her lack of remorse and the severity of her actions. Pamela's monstrous acts and the profound impact they had on the lives of those involved serve as a stark reminder of the horrors that can unfold behind closed doors.
As the dust settles in Olievenhoutbosch, the community grapples with the shocking revelation that a shack, erected by Pamela above the shallow grave that concealed the remains of her victims, had served as a chilling backdrop for unsuspecting patrons who gathered there to consume alcohol.
Pamela's neighbors, still reeling from the revelation, expressed their fear and relief that justice had finally been served.
Skosana, who had suspected Pamela's involvement from the beginning, voiced her relief, saying, "I'm glad that she's been caught and will pay for what she did. It's a relief to know that she won't be able to harm anyone else."
The tragic saga of Pamela Ncumisa Selani serves as a haunting reminder of the depths of evil that can reside within individuals. The story highlights the importance of remaining vigilant and reporting suspicious activities to authorities. It also emphasizes the need for communities to address issues of gender-based violence and provide support to victims.
