Discoveries of Horror: Caretaker Finds Bodies of Six Sex Workers in Johannesburg Building

In a chilling testimony that opens the wound of urban crime in South Africa, Michael Kingsley Damian recounted the haunting day he stumbled upon the lifeless body of an individual while accompanied by his young son. This gruesome discovery, made within the confines of a Johannesburg building in October 2022, introduced a chain of findings that unveiled a staggering reality: the bodies of six sex workers had been concealed within these walls, laying bare the extent of predatory crimes in the Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD).

Damian, employed by InterCity Real Estate as a caretaker of the Selby premises, carried out his routine car wash ritual on Sundays. On this fateful day, as the cold air nipped at fingertips and exhaled breaths turned to vapor, Damian sought the warmth of indoor refuge to fetch water for his task. It was not just the cold that diverted his path, but an overwhelming odor that wafted through the building's structure, leading him upstairs.

Trepidation might have filled his mind, but his need for warmth and curiosity catalyzed his steps as he followed the scent's trail. When arriving at the third office, darkness greeted him — the power had long vacated these rooms. The light of his cellphone broke the dark with its torch feature, only to reveal a scene that would steal the innocence of their nondescript Sunday: a body lay motionless on the floor.

The presence of Damian's son rendered the situation all the more heart-wrenching, a momentary interlude of life and death enmeshed under the most horrifying circumstances. Panicked, Damian entrusted a security guard with the verification of the ominous presence that pollution of decay had announced.

What ensued was the start of a narrative that now holds the attention of the Johannesburg high court in Palm Ridge — the trial of Sifiso Mkhwanazi, the man accused of perpetrating unspeakable acts of violence against six sex workers between April and October 2022.

Prosecutor's case rests not only on Damian's unsettling account but also draws upon testimonies from a network of those entangled with the premises. Among them, Mark Khumalo, the father of the accused and a tenant of the building, who, overcome by the gravity of the trial, sought adjournment to gather composure before testifying regarding his son, the accused.

The trial peels back layers of the systemic challenges faced by sex workers, often pushed to the peripheries of societal protection, and now, regrettably, has brought to light the final indignity they encountered within the desolate corners of an unused office. As the court proceedings continue, a broader conversation unfolds in the public sphere about the safety of sex workers, the nature of the crimes perpetrated against them, and the question of justice within the tangled weave of societal neglect.

The case hinges on establishing a clear narrative that weaves the disparate threads of evidence and the accused's potential connection to these heinous acts. As the trial proceeds, it will mark a defining moment in the country's legal history and could potentially become a touchstone in the discourse surrounding sex work, safety, and the justice system in South Africa.