By D. W .G. Kalani Tharanga, JadeTimes News
A convicted South African murderer, Louis van Schoor, who notoriously killed dozens of black men during apartheid, has recently revealed that his violent acts were sanctioned by the police. Van Schoor argues that others should also bear the blame for the killings he committed as a security guard. Over four years of interviews with Africa Eye, he disclosed disturbing details that cast doubt on the legitimacy of his early release from prison.
Van Schoor’s home offers a glimpse into his current state, his bed is meticulously made, the room smells heavily of cigarettes, and flypaper strips hang from the ceiling, filled with dying insects. Physically diminished after a heart attack and subsequent leg amputations, Van Schoor, now in a wheelchair, appears frail. His choice to remain awake and watch the surgical removal of his legs speaks volumes about his macabre curiosity. He told, “I was curious. I saw them cutting… they sawed through the bone,” with a chuckle.
Despite his attempts to convince that he is "not the monster that people say I am," his detailed recounting of his amputations does little to soften his image. During the 1980s, under apartheid, Van Schoor shot and killed at least 39 people, all black, the youngest being just 12 years old. His victims were often desperate individuals committing petty crimes like stealing food. Van Schoor has consistently claimed that he killed only those he caught in the act of breaking into white owned businesses he was contracted to protect.
A Legal and Moral Failure, The Apartheid System's Complicity
Van Schoor’s reign of terror in East London, South Africa, spread fear throughout the black community. Known as “whiskers” in the Xhosa language, his killings were reported to the police by Van Schoor himself, but it wasn't until the end of apartheid that he faced justice. Arrested in 1991, his trial became one of South Africa’s largest murder trials, yet the judiciary, still influenced by apartheid era biases, convicted him of only seven murders. He served just 12 years in prison, with his other 32 killings still classified as “justifiable homicides” under laws that permitted lethal force against intruders.
Isa Jacobson, a journalist who has investigated Van Schoor’s case for two decades, found harrowing evidence that many of the so called "justifiable" shootings were anything but. Witnesses who survived Van Schoor’s attacks described him shooting them after they had surrendered, sometimes toying with them before delivering fatal shots. These accounts, backed by police reports, autopsies, and witness statements, reveal a pattern of brutality that contradicts Van Schoor’s claims of self defense.
Van Schoor’s trial revealed deep seated racial biases within the legal system, with judges dismissing black witnesses as “unsophisticated” and “unreliable.” Despite the overwhelming evidence, societal support for Van Schoor among the white community was strong, with bumper stickers proclaiming “I Love Louis” circulating during his trial. The police’s failure to investigate properly, often failing to collect forensic evidence or even questioning Van Schoor as a suspect, indicates a systemic cover up.
For the families of Van Schoor’s victims, his early release and the state's failure to thoroughly investigate the killings remain a source of deep pain. Many families never recovered their loved ones' bodies, and the absence of closure exacerbates their suffering. Marlene Mvumbi, whose brother Edward was murdered by Van Schoor, expresses the ongoing grief and anger felt by many, emphasizing that justice has not been served.
Louis van Schoor’s case underscores the profound moral and legal failures of the apartheid system and its lingering effects on post apartheid South Africa. The reluctance of the authorities to reassess his killings perpetuates the injustice and hinders the healing process for the victims’ families. As long as such cases remain unresolved, the scars of apartheid will continue to haunt the nation.
