Showmax’s latest documentary, The Station Strangler, premiered on Wednesday, 6 November 2024, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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According to Showmax, IdeaCandy’s (Tracking Thabo Bester, Devilsdorp), latest true-crime documentary, The Station Strangler, delves into the Cape Flats serial killer suspected of murdering 21 young boys and one adult from the mid-80s to mid-90s.
School teacher Norman Simons was arrested but only convicted of one of the murders, 10-year-old Elroy van Rooyen.
After 28 years, his parole release has reopened wounds in a community still seeking justice.
The Station Strangler features interviews with family members of the victims, lead investigator JD Kotze, serial killer profiler Micki Pistorius, and Dr Allan Boesak, among others.
Director Nadine Cloete won the Audience Award at Encounters for Action Kommandant, while Address Unknown won the SAFTA for Best Short Film. She is also the production and development manager for Non-Fiction at the National Film and Video Foundation.
Reviewing its premiere at Silwerskerm in August 2024, the Sunday Times called The Station Strangler ‘chilling’, adding: ‘Cloete is a formidable force in South African filmmaking, known for her fearless explorations of the country’s most poignant and untold stories.’
‘With The Station Strangler, she continues to challenge and redefine documentary filmmaking, infusing the documentary with a depth of empathy and meticulous storytelling.’
Cloete says the first person interviewed was Ruth Jakuja, the ex-magistrate who wrote The Station Strangler: In the Case of S v Azval S Simons.
‘She’s one of the people who feel that Norman Simons is innocent.’
‘I think that helped because it set the tone: for the rest of the interviews, I took what she said and tried to balance things against her arguments.’
Cloete aimed to avoid stereotypical portrayals of people of colour and focused on finding ways to involve the Mitchells Plain community.
‘There were a few activists on the ground helping us, especially to find families like the Samaais and the Cupidos.
‘They also played a major role in getting the community on board to make the film.’
‘The community was aware of what we were doing and just allowed us to be in their space.’
Cloete urges those impacted by Norman Simons’ release to watch the documentary, as it addresses lingering questions from a story that shaped a generation.
She believes the film is essential to understanding a significant part of the community’s history.
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Picture: Screenshot /Showmax / Youtube
