The matter of Sifiso Mkhwanazi, who admitted to killing six sex workers at his father's makeshift workshop, has been postponed due to pending mental evaluation and outstanding pre-sentencing reports. Mkhwanazi appeared briefly at the Johannesburg High Court sitting in Palm Ridge today.

MENTAL EVALUATION

Mkhwanazi was found guilty of premeditated murder and all other charges against him. After his judgment, the judge presiding over the matter Cassim Moosa had referred Mkhwanazi to a psychiatric hospital for risk assessment, given the nature of his offence. The court heard that Mkhwanazi is yet to be admitted at Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital for risk assessment and will be admitted there for 30 days from 20 May. State Prosecutor Leswikane Mashabela told the courts that they received a date for when Mkhwanzi will be admitted into the mental institution. "On 22 March I received an email from the acting head of the forensic unit indicating they were willing to assist the court with admitting Mkhwanazi for the mental evaluation, but the assessment would only start on 20 May.They are requesting that to facilitate the processes, this matter be postponed to17 May so the court can make an order to that effect so that on 20 May ,the investigating officer can take the accused to hospital," Mashabela told the court adding that the probation officer was also continuing consultation with Mkhwanazi and said she was halfway through her process. "One victim impact report was complete and two are outstanding, "said Mashabela.

GUILTY!!

Between April and October 2022, Mkhwanazi spent some of his Sundays luring six sex workers to his father's makeshift workshop where he tied them up, claimed to have had consensual sex with them but raped them and strangled them. Mkhwanazi admitted to killing five women with an arm choke and shooting the sixth one. The six victims are believed to be sex workers who were rendering their services to the accused. Their bodies were dumped at Mkhwanazi's father's makeshift workshop near Faraday taxi rank in Joburg CBD. In March, judge Moosa found Mkhwanazi guilty of six counts of murder, six counts of rape, six counts of defeating the administration of justice, one of possession of ammunition and one of unlawful possession of a firearm.