[imagesource:  Gallo Images / Foto24 / Mary-Ann Palmer]

Quite a job limiting it to three, right?

At present, the most (in)famous murder story in the country relates to the Krugersdorp Killers, thanks to the success of Showmax’s Devilsdorp.

That story has more than enough twists and turns to make a four-part docuseries, but it’s far from alone in the annals of South African crime sagas.

Everybody is familiar with the story of Henri van Breda and his slain family (there’s surely a true-crime series in the works), but some other crimes may have slipped from your memory.

IOL has picked eight shockers, which we’ve narrowed to three, starting with Don Steenkamp (pictured above):

Then-teenager Don Steenkamp’s family to this day remain divided over whether he is a ruthless killer.

He was sentenced in 2018 after being convicted of the premeditated murders of his parents, Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and his 14-year-old sister Marthella.

It was found that he also raped Marthella and that that could have been the reason for the triple murder on Easter Friday, 2012.

Their lifeless and bloodied bodies were found with multiple bullet wounds, on their farm, Naauwhoek, near Griquatown.

Ultimately, the presiding judge believed that Don murdered his family because Marthella was going to tell them about the rapes.

I’d recommend reading The Griekwastad Murders: The Crime That Shook South Africa if you want the full story.

Springs Monster:

Sex, pornography, drugs and child abuse featured in the trial of the man nicknamed the “Springs Monster” and his wife.

The pair, who may not be identified to protect their children, were accused of the attempted murder of their 12-year-old son, the abuse of all five of their children and well as a host of other charges.

The case made headlines when the boy escaped from the family’s prison-like-home and alerted neighbours.

In court, details emerged of how the mother was encouraged by the father (pictured above) to dress like a prostitute and take part in orgies, with the full extent of the child abuse laid bare.

Thankfully, the man is serving a life sentence, although his wife at the time received a suspended sentence.

One of the man’s daughters, known as Landi, has written a book, Huis van gruwels: My 16 jaar in die Springs-hel, detailing her experience.

Madeleen Bredenhann:

“That which will never be revealed is far worse than fiction.” This was the reaction of a family member of Madeleen Bredenhann. Bredenhann was sentenced to two life terms for the murder of her mother and grandmother.

The only person who probably knows the true answer to why 59-year-old Elma Bredenhann and her 89-year-old mother Dassie Wambach were hacked to death is Bredenhann, who has been convicted of the killings despite the apparent lack of a motive.

She was 29 when she was sentenced in the Pretoria High Court in 2004 for the axe killing in Pretoria North. Although she had blood splatters on her pajamas, she denied attacking them in their beds.

The scariest thing about this murder is that it’s obvious Bredenhann didn’t carry out the gruesome attack on her own.

She’s been behind bars for the past 17 years, has never revealed who her accomplice was, and in 2018, received her master’s degree in tax law through Unisa (pictured above).

During the trial, Bredenhann tried to pin the murders on her uncle, who denied any involvement.

He was found hanging from a tree in 2005.

Sadly, a few other crimes also come to mind, but that’s quite enough for one day.

[source:iol]