Sipho Agmatir Thwala

The Phoenix Strangler

  Active for 2 years
(1996-1997) in South Africa

16

CONFIRMED
VICTIMS

19

POSSIBLE
VICTIMS
Jump to:
  1. Summary
  2. Serial Killer Profile
  3. Serial Killer Type
  4. General Information
  5. Characteristics
  6. Childhood
  7. Cognitive Ability
  8. Incarceration
  9. Death
  10. 4 Timeline Events
  11. Serial Killers Active During Spree
  12. Boolean Statistical Questions
  13. 15 Books About Sipho Agmatir Thwala
  14. 5 External References
  15. Internal References

Sipho Agmatir Thwala (Sipho Mandla Agmatir Thwala) a South African rapist and serial killer known as the Phoenix Strangler. Thwala was convicted for ten rapes and the murders of sixteen women. Thwala's nickname came from the area in which he committed his crimes, Phoenix, an Indian township in South Africa. Thwala offered victims employment and was described as charming, he spoke English, Afrikaans and Zulu. Thwala would lure women into sugarcane fields near Phoenix where he would bind, beat and rape them prior to strangling them with their own undergarments. He also set fire to the field and the body the victim in hopes of destroying evidence.

Sipho Agmatir Thwala Serial Killer Profile

Serial Killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala (aka) The Phoenix Strangler, was active for 2 years between 1996-1997, known to have ( 16 confirmed / 19 possible ) victims. This Serial Killer was active in the following countries: South Africa

Sipho Agmatir Thwala was born in KwaMashu, Township located in Kwa-zulu Natal Durban. He was raised by his mother. He had at least one sister, Zibekile. His mother, Khathazile Ntanzi.

Sipho Agmatir Thwala a heterosexual male citizen of South Africa. no degree received.

Prior to his spree he had commited crimes, and served time in jail.

In 1996 Sipho Agmatir Thwala started his killing spree, during his crimes as a serial killer he was known to strangle, rape, mutilate, and murder his victims. At least one victim was tied, bound, or otherwise restrained during the crime.

He was arrested on August 14th 1997, convicted on March 31st 1999, sentenced to life imprisonment a total of 506 years at C Max Penitentiary in Pretoria, South Africa. He was convicted on charges of murder and other possible charges during his lifetime.

Profile Completeness: 82%
serial killers by profile completeness

Sipho Agmatir Thwala has been listed on Killer.Cloud since November of 2016 and was last updated 5 years ago.

Sipho Agmatir Thwala a known:

Sipho Agmatir Thwala
Serial Killer Profile:

Updated: 2019-02-08 Collected by Killer.Cloud
General Information
Name: Sipho Thwala
Nickname: The Phoenix Strangler
Victims: 16 - 19
Years Active: 1996 - 1997
Active Countries: South Africa
Convicted Of: murder
Characteristics
Gender: Male
Citizenship: South Africa
Sexual Preference: heterosexual
Marital Status: N/A
Children: N/A
Living With: N/A
Occupation: criminal, serial killer
Childhood Information
D.O.B.: N/A
Given Name: Sipho
Birth Location: KwaMashu, Township located in Kwa-zulu Natal Durban
Birth Order: N/A
Siblings: at least one sister, Zibekile
Raised By: his mother
Birth Category: N/A
Mother: Khathazile Ntanzi
Father: N/A

Cognitive Ability
IQ: N/A
Highest School: N/A
Highest Degree: no degree received

Incarceration
Arrested: Aug 14, 1997
Convicted: Mar 31, 1999
Sentence: life imprisonment a total of 506 years
Prison Location: C Max Penitentiary in Pretoria, South Africa
Executed: N/A
Previous Crimes: TRUE
Previous Jail: TRUE
Previous Prison: FALSE

Death Information
Death Date: N/A
Cause of Death: N/A
Death Location: N/A
Killed In Prison: N/A
Suicide: N/A
4 Timeline Events of Serial Killer
Sipho Agmatir Thwala

The 4 dates listed below represent a timeline of the life and crimes of serial killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala. A complete collection of serial killer events can be found on our Serial Killer Timeline.

Date Event Description
1996
Sipho Agmatir Thwala started his serial killing spree. #1996
1997
Sipho Agmatir Thwala ended his serial killing spree. #1997
Aug 14 1997
Sipho Agmatir Thwala arrested. #19970814
Mar 31 1999
Sipho Agmatir Thwala was convictedand sentenced to life imprisonment a total of 506 years at C Max Penitentiary in Pretoria, South Africa.  #19990331
Back to top Serial Killers Active During

The following serial killers were active during the same time span as Sipho Agmatir Thwala (1996-1997).

Serial Killers By Active Year


35 / 40
ANSWERED
Serial Killer
Boolean Questions:
Killer
Question
Killer
Answer
Total
Answered
previous crimes TRUE 367
previous jail TRUE 352
rape TRUE 453
bound TRUE 406
strangle TRUE 443
mutilated TRUE 447
father drug abuse FALSE 192
mother drug abuse FALSE 195
problems in school FALSE 221
teased in school FALSE 218
physically defect FALSE 300
speach defect FALSE 300
head injury FALSE 299
physically abused FALSE 231
psychologically abused FALSE 224
sexually abused FALSE 226
drug abuse FALSE 226
alcohol abuse FALSE 226
psychologist FALSE 258
forensic hospital FALSE 257
previous prision FALSE 336
kill at killers home FALSE 320
kill at victims home FALSE 323
used weapon FALSE 453
used gun FALSE 451
torture FALSE 426
stalk FALSE 418
blindfold FALSE 363
sex with body FALSE 430
ate part of body FALSE 451
drank blood FALSE 442
posed body FALSE 365
totem body part FALSE 365
totem personal item FALSE 354
robbed FALSE 418


Books that Mention Sipho Agmatir Thwala

Book: Serial Killer Stranglers (mentions serial killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala)
Kevin Smith
Serial Killer Stranglers
Book: Serial Killer Rapists (mentions serial killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala)
Kevin Smith
Serial Killer Rapists
Book: Serial Killers (mentions serial killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala)
Peter Vronsky
Serial Killers
Book: Serial Killers (mentions serial killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala)
Peter Vronsky
Serial Killers
Book: The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial K... (mentions serial killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala)
Harold Schechter
The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers
Book: The Human Predator (mentions serial killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala)
Katherine Ramsland
The Human Predator
Book: Every Move You Make (mentions serial killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala)
M. William Phelps
Every Move You Make
Book: Profiling Serial Killers (mentions serial killer Sipho Agmatir Thwala)
Micki Pistorius
Profiling Serial Killers

15 Books that mention Serial Killer
Sipho Agmatir Thwala

ISBN10 Book Title Killers
1733630600 Serial Killer Stranglers 164
1733630619 Serial Killer Rapists 266
1101204621 Serial Killers 19
0425196402 Serial Killers 24
1439138850 The A to Z Encyclopedia o... 8
1101619058 The Human Predator 16
0786024976 Every Move You Make 12
0143027107 Profiling Serial Killers 1
0753506815 Killers on the Loose 1
1489569006 The Top Serial Killers of... 6
0816069875 The Encyclopedia of Seria... 108
1326136690 African Serial Killers -... 5
2246702593 Profileuse 2
1448110491 Profiling a Killer 5
0593074831 Profiling a Killer 6

Sipho Mandla Agmatir Thwala (born 1968) is a South African rapist and serial killer who was convicted in 1999 for the murders of 16 women and 10 rapes. He was sentenced to 506 years in prison. Thwala was known by the moniker "The Phoenix Strangler".Thwala, born and raised in KwaMashu, began his year-long rape and murder spree in 1996 in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province.

Wikipedia
External References
  1. Sipho Thwala on en.wikipedia.org, Retrieved on Sep 16, 2018.
  2. Juan Ignacio Blanco, Sipho Agmatir THWALA on murderpedia.org, Retrieved on Sep 16, 2018.
  3. Q1391127 on www.wikidata.org, Retrieved on Oct 17, 2018.
  4. Discovery Channel The Phoenix Strangler on web.archive.org, Retrieved on Dec 12, 2018.
  5. Sipho Thwala on www.serienkillers.de, Retrieved on Feb 18, 2019.
Internal References

Sipho Agmatir Thwala is included in the following pages on Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database

  1. #8 of 20[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killers active in South Africa
  2. #34 of 250[ Page 3 ] of Serial Killer Stranglers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  3. #49 of 307[ Page 4 ] of Serial Killer Rapist sorted by Confirmed Victims
  4. #89 of 651[ Page 6 ] of serial killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  5. #212 of 651[ Page 15 ] of serial killers sorted by Profile Completeness
  6. #522 of 651[ Page 35 ] of serial killers sorted by Years Active
  7. #590 of 651[ Page 40 ] of the A-Z List of Serial Killers
Statistics:
Serial Killers Statistics, charts Sipho Agmatir Thwala is included in: Active Serial Killers by Country, Serial Killers By Gender, Highest Degree Achieved, Sexual Preference, Active Serial Killers by Year and Statistical Boolean Questions.
Years Active: