6. Faces at the window

How many people did Louis van Schoor really kill? We reveal he carried out many more shootings than he was tried for. He said the police knew about them and supported him – that he had been made a scapegoat. Did he feel any remorse? What of the family of Edward Soenies, murdered by van Schoor? After 35 years, how have they tried to re-build their lives?

The van Schoor case represents one of many apartheid crimes. It was part of a much wider, systematic terror - the legacy of which has left a trail of trauma still being felt across South Africa today.

Since this episode was recorded, it has been announced that Louis van Schoor died, on 25 July 2024. This was a four-year investigation and the interviews with Louis van Schoor were recorded in 2022 and 2023.

Please note, this episode of World of Secrets includes descriptions of death and violence, which some listeners may find distressing.

Presenters: Ayanda Charlie and Charlie Northcott

Original investigation by Isa Jacobsen and Charlie Northcott

Researcher: Maddy Drury

Production coordinator: Katie Morrison

Field production: Isa Jacobsen

Mixing: James Beard

Sound design: Jez Spencer

Original music by Anna Papadimitriou

Series Producer: Jim Frank

Series Editor: Matt Willis

Commissioning Senior Producer: Anne Dixey

Commissioning Editor: Jon Manel