Profiler: True Crime Africa

She caught him. The system released him. Then she caught him again.Veteran SAPS detective Joyce Buthelezi joins Paul Llewellyn and Dr Gérard Labuschagne to recount the investigation into Mlungisi Mtshali, the notorious Hillbrow Birthday Rapist.Joyce recognised a pattern in three rape dockets, helping uncover an offender who lured young women with an elaborate birthday story before attacking them in Johannesburg hotels.Working alongside Gérard, Joyce helped lead an investigation that culminated in Mtshali's arrest in KwaZulu-Natal.But while awaiting trial, Mtshali was mistakenly released following an unrelated driving conviction, forcing investigators to track him down a second time.He was eventually sentenced to 39 life terms plus 212 years.Beyond the investigation, Joyce shares her remarkable philosophy of policing: understanding victims, building relationships with suspects and their families, and treating people with dignity.She also reveals why the victims cried at sentencing — and why attending their graduations and weddings meant more to her than securing a conviction.An extraordinary firsthand account of investigative persistence, institutional failure and the humanity behind good policing.PROFILER AFRICA — Understanding the minds behind South Africa's most disturbing crimes.☕ https://buymeacoffee.com/profiler📩 [email protected]

Weeks before the attack on a six-year-old girl at a school in Umhlali, Profiler Africa examined a teenage suspect linked to an alleged bomb plot at Ballito Junction shopping mall.Now Paul Llewellyn and Dr Gérard Labuschagne return to the case with investigative journalist Jacqueline Herbst of the North Coast Courier, who broke the original story.Jacqueline discusses her investigation, the reported manifesto, warnings circulated online, questions over the handling of the suspected explosive device, and the events surrounding the school stabbing.Gérard examines the alleged second manifesto, behavioural warning signs, violent online subcultures, and why a criminal prosecution is no substitute for an evidence-based threat assessment.The discussion also addresses the injured child's recovery, the trauma experienced by the school community, the difficulties of managing threatening behaviour involving minors, and the need for behavioural assessment and management programmes in South Africa.Could earlier intervention have reduced the risk of this attack? And who is responsible for ensuring credible threats are properly assessed?The accused is a minor. Allegations concerning the offence and institutional conduct remain subject to investigation and legal proceedings.Earlier Profiler Africa discussions:https://youtu.be/U4vuiGKOKIchttps://youtu.be/hSTtpA5DOWMContact: [email protected]

South Africa has recorded 45 mass-killing attacks in 2026, involving at least 210 deaths and 79 wounded.Paul Llewellyn and Dr Gérard Labuschagne are joined by investigative journalist and organised-crime specialist Julian Rademeyer, author of Killing for Profit.They examine the criminal economies behind South Africa’s mass violence — including gangs, extortion, illegal mining, taxi conflict and illicit firearms — and ask whether mass killing is increasingly being used as a tool of terror, retaliation and territorial control.Julian also discusses failing intelligence structures, criminal governance, South Africa’s similarities with Brazil, and three interventions he believes could begin changing the trajectory. Sequence 01 Copy [email protected]

Are the Kempton Park killings linked — and how would investigators actually establish that?Lt Col (Ret) Elmarie Myburgh brings around four decades of policing experience, including nearly three decades in investigative psychology and criminal profiling, to a detailed conversation with Paul Llewellyn about how suspected serial cases are actually investigated.They unpack linkage analysis, modus operandi, victimology, geographical “comfort zones”, forensic evidence, DNA and the crucial difference between cases that appear similar and cases that can actually be proved to be connected.Elmarie also explains why she worries that a major investigation can become “too top-heavy”, what her ideal investigative team would look like, how traditional media can help or hinder police, and what happens when social media produces an army of amateur “couch detectives”.📩 [email protected]

After more than 100,000 people watched Profiler Africa's first Kempton Park investigation, viewers sent us their questions.Former SAPS criminal profiler Dr Gérard Labuschagne returns to examine what is known about the deaths of nine women and what remains unconfirmed.How would police establish whether the cases are linked? Could there be multiple offenders? Could more victims remain undiscovered? How might an offender be approaching women? What can geography and behavioural linkage tell investigators? And does SAPS have the right people running the investigation?Gérard also explains what police should keep secret, why the discovery of a body does not tell investigators when the murder occurred, and why earlier unsolved crimes may matter.📩 [email protected]