The Apartheid Killer: BBC Africa Eye & World Of Secrets Investigation Uncovers South African Serial Killer's Horrific Crimes

A four-year investigation by BBC World Service’s investigative unit, BBC Africa Eye, and podcast World of Secrets, has found shocking revelations about the brutal killings committed by security guard Louis van Schoor in South Africa during the apartheid era.

Convicted of seven murders, he is believed to have killed at least 39 people, all of whom were black. The youngest victim was just 12 years old.

With access to Louis van Schoor, South African journalist Isa Jacobson, one of the film’s producers who has followed and investigated the case for 20 years, confronts him about his actions, seeking answers around the killings.

Jacobson uncovered disturbing evidence suggesting police involvement in some of the murders, which mainly took place at Cambridge Police station in South Africa’s city of East London. She said: “Cambridge Police station is where a lot of these Van Schoor cases were being reported. It’s also where a lot of tortures were taking place.” She added: “Van Schoor would radio in that killing to the police. In many instances we know the police would arrive very soon after the killing. They would take a quick look and essentially rubber stamp these as justifiable homicide…No real genuine investigation was ever performed.”

In his first interview, van Schoor expressed no remorse for his actions. He said: “Maybe the public want me to apologise. But I’m not going to make a mockery of my own beliefs, just to please them. I’ve got no remorse inside. Because I don’t feel that I was wrong.”

Van Schoor was arrested in 1991 but served only 12 years in prison after many of his killings were signed off by police as ‘justifiable homicides’.

The BBC’s investigation scrutinised the evidence underlying the ‘justifiable’ homicides. Through meticulous examination of long-forgotten police reports, autopsies, and witness statements, the investigation sheds new light on these tragic events.

Joe Jordan, a former ANC anti-apartheid activist, supported Jacobson’s claims. He told the BBC that the East London police station was “known for killing” and Van Schoor was “highly protected because he was working with the police.”

He also described the abuse activists like himself faced at Cambridge police station, including being strapped to a bench while officers jumped on his back, wearing heavy military boots, which resulted in his back being broken.

Van Schoor told the BBC that the killings were supported by police officers in East London’s Cambridge Police station. He said: “Every officer in East London knew what was going on… all the police officers knew.”

Recorded and produced over four years, the gripping documentary The Apartheid Killer, and six-episode season of the World of Secrets podcast, delves deep into the heart of a dark chapter in South African history, 30 years after the end of apartheid. Through the lens of the victim’s families, anti-apartheid activists and the perpetrator himself, this new investigation explores the lives irrevocably altered by these atrocities.

The investigation examines how the judicial and police systems contributed to these atrocities. It also explores the enduring legacy of racial injustice, the pursuit of accountability, and the devastating experiences of victims’ families as they grapple with the painful aftermath.

One of van Schoor's victims, Edward Soenies, was murdered in 1987. Denied a proper burial, his body was placed in an unmarked grave by authorities before his family was informed. His sister, Marlene told the BBC: “It was devastating for the family.We couldn’t get his remains. We believe that his spirit is roaming round here and he’s looking for home. He's not with his ancestors. He doesn’t know where he is.”

Edward’s son, Raymond, just six years old when his father was killed, told the BBC the impact this had on him. “After my dad died, I changed completely because of the anger I carried. My dad loved me very much, so when I remember those things, it’s heartbreaking.” Remembering the day his father died, he told the BBC: “I would sit outside and wait until dusk. I waited for him to come home. My grandmother said don’t worry your father always comes home. But I felt in my heart that something was wrong. I found out 2 years later my father died and he was killed by Van Schoor.”

The documentary captures the emotional moment when the family's 35-year fight to exhume and rebury Edward was finally successful. This long-awaited closure brought a sense of peace, as Raymond told the BBC: "My father comes in my dreams. I see the spirit of my father was there and he was happy. Everybody in the family is with him now. He’s free. Now also, I’m free now. I’m the proudest guy in the world and I have peace now."

The BBC contacted the South African police for comment, but they did not respond.

In BBC’s World of Secrets six-part podcast series, presented by South African journalist Ayanda Charlie and Charlie Northcott, listeners will hear an exploration of the wider socio-political context and hear from those affected by the events in further detail.

Reflecting on the documentary, Isa Jacobson said: “It's really important that we look at the past in this country, that we dig deep into all of the occurrences during the apartheid era and try and bring it into the light.” She added: “The Apartheid government operated violently, very violently. Black people were disappearing during apartheid. Black people were being murdered with impunity.”

Where can audiences listen and watch?

• TV: The BBC Africa Eye documentary will be available to audiences in the UK from Monday 22 July on BBC Two at 23:05, and on BBC iPlayer. Audiences outside the UK can view on the BBC News Africa YouTube channel, and via media TV channels that broadcast BBC Africa Eye from Monday 22 July.
• Podcast:World of Secrets, Season 3: The Apartheid Killer: The first two episodes will be available on BBC Sounds on the 22 July - with the first episode available on most other podcast platforms from that date. New episodes will be released weekly on Mondays, available one week early on BBC Sounds.
  • Outside the UK:The podcast begins on the 22 July wherever you get your BBC podcasts, with new episodes released weekly. BBC Podcasts Premium subscribers can listen to the first two episodes on July 22nd and will get one-week early access to each new episode.
• Radio: The series will air weekly on BBC World Service radio from Wednesday 24 August.