The chilling tale of Sifiso Mkhwanazi, the 21-year-old convicted serial rapist and murderer, continues to haunt the streets of Johannesburg, leaving a trail of grief and fear among Zimbabwean sex workers. One such woman, a 44-year-old mother of two, recounted her harrowing experience, a stark reminder of the danger these women face every day.
"It could have been me," she said, her voice trembling with a mixture of relief and sorrow. She vividly recalled the night she narrowly escaped death, just moments before Mkhwanazi picked up and murdered her friend.
It was July 23rd, 2022, and the two women were standing on the street, waiting for customers. Mkhwanazi approached in his vehicle, his eyes scanning the women. "He first called me to his car and asked if I could speak Ndebele. I said I couldn't, and he then called my friend, who was standing with me. They left in his car. That was the last time I saw her," she recounted.
Her friend's body was later discovered among six decomposed corpses at Mkhwanazi's father's panel-beating workshop. The realization that she could have been the victim sent a wave of terror through her. "Was I going to leave my children motherless? This is traumatising and lingers whenever I see Mkhwanazi in court," she said, her eyes welling up with tears.
The woman, who has two children aged 23 and 6, described the ongoing trauma she experiences, particularly when she walks past the factory where her friends lost their lives. "Seeing that place traumatises me when I think that our sisters died there. I knew the victims, including three whose bodies were never identified by their families. We tried contacting their families back home in Zimbabwe but couldn't find them. We have been in contact with the families of [the women who were identified] Joyce Moyo, Chihota Nyarai and Patricia Magaiza. The six women were mothers. They were breadwinners. Their children are now suffering because of Mkhwanazi's deeds," she said, her voice heavy with grief.
Despite the trauma, these women continue to work the dangerous streets of Johannesburg, driven by the desperate need to provide for their families back home. "We are still working in the dangerous streets of Johannesburg because we have to make ends meet. We are unemployed and didn't choose to be here. Different circumstances led us to the streets to fend for our children and families back home," she explained, her words laced with a sense of resignation.
The woman, along with her fellow sex workers, are calling for justice and a harsh sentence for Mkhwanazi. "We are waiting for his sentence. We have been following [up on] this matter for two years. We are happy Mkhwanazi was found guilty. The court must permanently remove him from society," she said, her voice firm with determination.
Adding to the complexity of this tragedy, Mkhwanazi's father, Mark Khumalo, has claimed ignorance of his son's heinous crimes. The woman, however, claims that Khumalo expressed concern for her well-being, suggesting a possible knowledge of his son's actions.
The sex workers also believe that Mkhwanazi did not act alone, raising further concerns about potential accomplices. This fear has instilled a deep sense of anxiety among them, making them wary of leaving with customers in their vehicles.
"Coming to court gives us little closure. Had the court given us the chance to strangle him, we would have done that. Unfortunately, we can't do that," she said, her voice filled with anger and frustration.
Mkhwanazi was found guilty on 13 March by Judge Cassim Moosa in the Gauteng High Court sitting in Palm Ridge. He was convicted of six counts of rape, six of murder, defeating the ends of justice, theft of a cellphone, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Mkhwanazi admitted to killing the six women at his father's panel beating workshop between April and October 2022. He was 19 at the time and claimed he killed the women because they demanded more money after he had sex with them. He specifically targeted Zimbabwean sex workers, choking them, binding their hands and feet, and gagging them. Only Nyarai was shot dead. Two of the victims were pregnant.
The sentencing procedures against Mkhwanazi, which were delayed due to outstanding reports, are expected to begin on 7 August. The women, however, are left to grapple with the trauma of their loss and the ongoing fear that lingers on the streets of Johannesburg. As they await Mkhwanazi's sentencing, they pray for justice and a future where they can walk the streets and sell their 'sexual goodies' without fear.
