By C. Perera, JadeTimes News
Louis van Schoor, a convicted mass murderer known as the “Apartheid Killer” in South Africa, has passed away at the age of 72. He succumbed to complications from sepsis following a leg infection.
Van Schoor's death came shortly after a investigation unearthed new, horrifying details about a series of killings he committed in the late 1980s during the final years of apartheid. The sister of one of his victims expressed hope that the police would reopen the cases despite his death.
During apartheid, Van Schoor worked as a private security guard in East London, where he killed at least 39 black individuals between 1986 and 1989, the youngest being just 12 years old. Arrested in 1991, he was convicted of seven murders but served only 12 years in prison before being paroled. Many of his killings remain classified as “justifiable homicides” under apartheid era laws that allowed lethal force against intruders.
Van Schoor claimed his victims were criminals caught "red handed," but the recent BBC investigation cast doubt on these assertions. The report featured interviews with Van Schoor, who described his actions as “exciting” and akin to “hunting,” and alleged police involvement in his activities during the 1980s. Archival documents and witness statements from survivors, who described being shot after surrendering, further questioned the legitimacy of his actions.
There is no statute of limitations for murder in South Africa, and many relatives of Van Schoor's victims still seek justice. Marlene Mvumbi, whose brother Edward was killed by Van Schoor in 1986, expressed her desire for the cases to be reopened, stating that the families deserve justice and have received nothing but ongoing pain.
Van Schoor had both legs partially amputated in 2021 due to circulatory issues and was recently hospitalized for an infection in one of his remaining limbs. Despite medical efforts, his condition rapidly deteriorated after developing sepsis. Van Schoor denied being a “serial killer” and expressed no remorse or guilt for his actions.
Journalist and filmmaker Isa Jacobson, who has spent two decades investigating Van Schoor's case, emphasized the importance of continued scrutiny of apartheid era crimes. She warned that the truth risks being lost as those who hold it pass away, making it increasingly difficult to uncover the full extent of the killings in South Africa.
