The man accused of killing a sex worker appeared at the Johannesburg Magistrate court on Monday. Sifiso Mkhwanazi (20) is accused of raping and murdering a  pregnant sex worker and keeping her corpse at his father's makeshift warehouse in Joburg near Faraday Taxi Rank. Although Mkhwanazi only faces one count of murder, five more decomposed bodies were also discovered at the workshop.

DNA DELAY

State prosecutor Advocate Tshepo Mhange kaMzizi said the state had sought DNA tests in order to establish whether the suspect was linked to the rest of the victims and also for the families of the deceased to be able to identify them because  they were found badly decomposed. "We are only left with two bodies now, four bodies have been positively identified through DNA and were buried by their respective families. The DNA results from two bodies as well as condoms used by the suspects are still outstanding. Also outstanding is the CCTV footage, we are working with a backlog of 3 months because if you remember correctly the matter is from last year October,' kaMzizi said. 

BACKGROUND 

Gauteng SAPS spokeswoman Brigadier Brenda Muridili said the grim discovery was made after police were called to the building due to a foul smell coming out of one of the rooms. "That is when the body of a woman was found. A preliminary investigation led the police to the suspect, believed to be the last person seen with the deceased woman. On 02 October 2022 , the suspect was seen with the deceased woman. She was never seen again until her body was discovered at a makeshift warehouse. The clothes she was wearing matches the description of one of the missing persons that were reported that time. Muridili said upon questioning the suspect, the police went back to the building and five more bodies were discovered outside the building where there is a makeshift workshop and rubbish dumpsters. 

SEX WORKERS 

A woman who didn't want to be named told Zimoja that they would religiously attend the matter even though the accused has abandoned bail. She said she is attending the matter and wanted to know the merits of the case and be updated in case Mkhwanazi is let out one day. "You never know with our justice system, so I want to make sure that indeed he is not granted bail and be able to work without fearing he will resurface. Although he is not our only terrorist, he is worse than them all. Some rape and rob us but he took the lives of our sisters he deserves to rot in jail," the woman said. Mhange kaMzizi said they cannot proceed as there is outstanding evidence that is crucial to the matter so a postponement was requested for the 25th February.