Profiler: True Crime Africa

Durban, March 2011.Four men murdered in eight days — two decapitated. All strangers. All ambushed and hacked to death with an axe.The killer: Joseph Phindile Ntshongwana, former Blue Bulls flanker whose life collapsed into delusion, paranoia, and violent psychosis.Family saw the warning signs — hallucinations, erratic behaviour, and a fixed belief in a daughter who didn’t exist.In this episode, forensic psychologist Prof Gerard Labuschagne joins host Paul Llewellyn to unpack how the murders were linked, what the forensic evidence proved, where delusion meets legal responsibility, and why every appeal failed.Profiler Africa — where psychology meets the crime scene.Follow the show.Rate and review.Share with someone who loves true crime.

This week, we break down the case of Annerize LeoniceSmith, who poisoned her partner Russell Kriel, a respected teacherand rugby mentor, and hid his death for 46 days.We explore the domestic violence that led up to the killing, the psychology ofpoisoning, the extended deception, and what the sentencing tells us aboutintimate partner homicide in South Africa.Featuring forensic psychologist Professor GérardLabuschagne, who prepared the pre-sentencing risk report.Support the show: Subscribe, rate it, or Buy Me a Coffee:buymeacoffee.com/profilerafricaEmail: [email protected]: plotshift.co.za#ProfilerAfrica #TrueCrimeSA #EldoradoPark#ForensicPsychology #SouthAfricaCrime #Poisoning #GerardLabuschagne#CaseBreakdown #ProfilerAfrica #TrueCrimeSA #EldoradoPark#IntimatePartnerViolence #SouthAfricaCrime #PoisoningCase

For over a decade, Gerhard Ackerman operated in plain sight — grooming, abusing, and trafficking young boys under the guise of mentorship and massage therapy.In this unflinching episode of Profiler Africa, Prof Gerard Labuschagne and Paul Llewellyn dissect the psychology behind one of South Africa’s most disturbing child-sex networks.They break down how a trusted man built a hidden empire of exploitation — and how systemic failures let it thrive for years.Inside this episode:🔸 The grooming process and psychological manipulation🔸 How chronic paedophilia is diagnosed and why it’s incurable🔸 Why South Africa’s child-protection systems keep missing predators🔸 The intersection of power, denial, and pathology in sexual offending🎧 Profiler Africa — where psychology meets the crime scene.#ProfilerAfrica #GerardLabuschagne #GerhardAckerman #TrueCrimeSouthAfrica #ForensicPsychology #ChildExploitation #Paedophile #Justice #SAPS #CriminalProfiling #Trafficking #SexualPredator #RealCrimeStories

Dr Candice Hansmeyer has spent her career speaking for the dead — first in South Africa’s chaotic mortuaries, now in Canada’s pristine labs.In this deeply human episode of Profiler Africa, she joins Paul Llewellyn and Prof Gerard Labuschagne to unpack the realities of modern forensic pathology.Together they explore:The stark contrast between South Africa’s crisis and Canada’s calmThe emotional and ethical pressure of working where death never stopsWhy good science depends on good systems — and good peopleIt’s raw, intelligent, and unforgettable — a story of death, dignity, and discovery.🎧 Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts📩 Questions or sponsorships: [email protected]🌍 Website: plotshift.co.za#ProfilerAfrica #ForensicPathology #CandiceHansmeyer #GerardLabuschagne #TrueCrime #SouthAfrica #ForensicScience #CrimePodcast #Autopsy #DeathInvestigation #SAPS #Justice #CriminalProfiling #RealCrimeStories #ForensicExperts

People disappear every day — but what happens when someone is kidnapped for ransom?This week on Profiler Africa, forensic psychologist Gerard Labuschagne and host Paul Llewellyn go deep into the world of kidnap-for-ransom, joined by Vincent Swardt, a veteran crisis-response consultant who’s negotiated releases in DRC, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.Vincent reveals what really happens behind the scenes:🔸 How kidnappers choose their victims🔸 What goes on during ransom negotiations🔸 Why professional hostage negotiators succeed where police can’t🔸 Why South Africa has become a kidnapping hotspot🔸 How victims survive — and what families must never doIt’s tense, revealing, and grounded in real-world experience — a masterclass in crisis psychology.🎧 Listen now.📩 Questions or sponsorships: [email protected]🌍 Website: plotshift.co.za#KidnapForRansom #HostageNegotiation #VincentSwardt #GerardLabuschagne #ProfilerAfrica #TrueCrimeSouthAfrica #CrisisResponse #ForensicPsychology #RealCrimeStories