Meet the cast of Catch Me a Killer

Charlotte Hope (Myranda in Game of Thrones) plays Micki Pistorius, South Africa’s first serial-killer profiler, in Catch Me a Killer. This crime drama series is adapted from Micki’s memoir of the same name, and describes her efforts to identify and capture the killers behind an epidemic of rapes, shootings and murders plaguing the New South Africa post-1994. The episodes include some of her most twisted cases, from the Station Strangler to the Cleveland Killer, to Stewart “Boetie Boer” Wilken. 

Catch Me A Killer’s directors include SAFTA winners Rene van Rooyen (Toorbos, Alles Malan) and Brett Michael Innes (Fiela Se Kind), as well as Tracey Larcombe (Silent Witness), while writers include SAFTA winner Amy Jephta (Skemerdans), Sarah Hooper (Shameless) and Jessica Ruston (Harlots). Catch Me a Killer is a co-production between Showmax and Germany’s Night Train Media. 

Look out for guest appearances from Lemogang Tsipa (Shaka iLembe), Waldemar Schultz (Die Byl), Ivan Zimmermann (Alles Malan), Frank Rautenbach (Lioness), Carel Nel (Fynskrif), Louw Venter (Swaaibraai), Albert Pretorius (Spinners) and Sean Cameron Michael (Die Byl). 

NB! Out of respect for the victims, their surviving families, and the officers working on the cases, names of victims and police have been changed, and crime scenes and photos were recreated by the show’s art department, rather than the original images being used.   

Stream Catch Me a Killer on Showmax now. New episodes on Wednesdays. 

Watch the trailer for Catch Me a Killer 

Catch Me a Killer: All the profiles 

Micki Pistorius 

FBI-trained journalist-turned-psychologist Micki Pistorius (33) is South Africa’s first serial-killer profiler. As the series starts in 1994, Micki is called to join a task team on the hunt for notorious Cape Town-based serial killer, The Station Strangler. In Micki’s own words, “Serial killers are not monsters. They are human beings with tortured souls. I will never condone what they do, but I can understand them.” For many of the largely male cop squads she’s working with, it’s all a bit fluffy … until Micki starts cracking cases. Along with her brilliance, training and empathy, Micki has a wicked and often dark sense of humour.  

Who plays Micki Pistorius? Charlotte Hope. 

How old is Charlotte Hope? 32. 

Where is she from? Salisbury in Wiltshire, but she now lives in London. 

Where did she study? BA Languages French and Spanish at the University of Oxford. 

What have you seen her in? Game of Thrones as Ramsay Bolton’s sadistic lover Myranda. 

Is Charlotte Hope married? She’s dating Ruairi O’Connor, her co-star from the historical drama series The Spanish Princess.  

Anything else to know? Charlotte admits to spending a lot of time during the pandemic of 2020 hooked on YouTube true crime channel JCS Criminal Psychology, which features analysis of interviews with real-life killers.  

Erika Bothes 

Constable Erika (28) is a detective partly based on real-life profiler Elmarie Myburgh. A farm girl from the North West Province, along with a SAPS background and academic qualifications in psychology and criminology, Erika studied some of the criminal profiling courses that Micki created, so she sees Micki as her role model. She’s tough, but compassionate, and comes to be Micki’s closest, most trusted working partner and assistant. 

Who plays Erika Bothes? Donna Cormack-Thomson. 

How old is Donna Cormack-Thomson? 30. 

Where is she from? Donna was born in Pretoria, but now lives in Cape Town. 

What did she study? She studied acting with Merle Feldman as a kid, and she has a BA Honours in Theatre and Performance from UCT.  

What have you seen her in? This is Donna’s first major role on film and television in South Africa, but she played Angela Horton in the film American Monster. 

Is Donna Cormack-Thomson married? If she is, it is a secret-agent-level secret. 

Anything else to know? Donna’s hobbies include wakeboarding, rock climbing, poetry, painting, paintball, and listening to true crime podcasts.  

Robert Ressler  

Robert Ressler joined the FBI in 1970 and coined the term serial killer. In over 30 years in the Behavioural Science Unit, he interviewed some of the world’s most notorious killers. Micki reached out to him in 1994 and he became her mentor, even flying to South Africa to support her on a couple of cases.  

Who plays Robert Ressler? Sean Cameron Michael. 

How old is Sean Cameron Michael? 53. 

Where is he from? Cape Town, but he now lives in Los Angeles. 

What did he study? Sean has studied acting through workshops including with Rita Maas Phillips (RADA). 

What have you seen him in? Along with multiple wins and nominations at international festivals, and an impressive cult-film and TV roll call including Black Sails, The Mummy and Blood Drive, Sean picked up a Best Supporting Actor SAFTA nomination for playing Ronald in Fried Barry, and he was the sinister Harold Vermeer in Die Byl.

Is Sean Cameron Michael married? No, but he has a Jack Russell named Toby. 

Anything else to know? He’s a member of the American Television Academy of Arts & Sciences, and works as a judge on the Emmy and International Emmy Awards! 

Mark  

Micki’s marriage collapses under the strain of her new career, but there’s love on the horizon when she meets Mark, a wine merchant, at a braai held by her dad, Deon Pistorius (David Muller). Mark becomes Micki’s sanctuary, and he helps her to decompress at his family’s retreat in the Knysna forests. Can he stand the pace of her life, though? 

Who plays Mark? Steven Ward. 

How old is Steven Ward? 33. 

Where is he from? Lynwood Manor, Pretoria. 

What did he study? He has a BA in Live Performance from AFDA, as well as training with several local and international coaches. 

What have you seen him in? As well as playing Mihawk in One Piece, you’ll know Steven as Sam in the film The Day We Didn’t Meet, and Nick in drama series Inconceivable.  

Is Steven Ward married? Steven and actress and journalist Valerie Joy Robinson married in 2019 and they have a daughter together.  

Anything else to know? He has lived all over the world including the island of Papua New Guinea, and he can impersonate Kermit the Frog. 

Suzaan 

Suzaan is Micki’s practical minded and supportive sister, who gives her a place to stay in episode 3 after her marriage falls apart. She’s not the best at heart-to-hearts, but she’s always ready to listen and offer a shoulder to lean on. Her home is a bit cluttered, but warm and welcoming.  

Who plays Suzaan? Zetske van Pletzen. 

How old is Zetske van Pletzen? She matriculated in 2005, so… 

Where is she from? Pretoria.  

What did she study? Zetske matriculated from Pro Arte Alphen Park, where she studied drama, and she has a BA in French and Psychology through UNISA. 

What have you seen her in? She’s the star of the short film Ek & Myselfie (which she also wrote and produced), Jacqueline in the series Bloedbroers, Izel in Kruispad, Julia in Getroud Met Rugby, Kara in Binnelanders, Marcel in 7de Laan, and Adelle in Hart van Staal. 

Is Zetske married? Zetske and actor Altus Theart have been married since 2012 and have a son together (they played brother and sister in Kruispad). 

Anything else to know? She’s also a fashion designer and heads her own range, Halo Collection. She’s South African acting royalty as the daughter of actors Pierre van Pletzen (Oubaas in 7de Laan) and Elzette Maarschalk (Karla Combrink in Binnelanders), sister of singer Pierre-Henri “Peach” Pletzen (who created the soundtrack for Showmax Original drama series Wyfie), and stepdaughter of actress and writer Sandra Vaughn (Debbie in 7de Laan). 

AJ Oliver  

André Oliver leads the case to find the Station Strangler. Dedicated to serving the community of Mitchells Plain, he works round the clock to find the killer, enduring nightmares and horror. In real life, AJ died of Covid-19 complications in 2021. His son Kurt, who worked as a consultant on Catch Me a Killer, gave the production permission to use his father’s name in the show to honour his memory, while names of most other policemen and victims have been changed.  

Who plays AJ Oliver? Vaughn Lucas. 

How old is Vaughn Lucas? 42. 

Where is he from? Johannesburg. 

What did he study? Vaughn studied for a degree in sports psychology, but caught the eye of (the late) agent Moonyeenn Lee  when he entered the reality series Class Act. 

What have you seen him in? He was Captain Williams in Desert Rose, Cranston Williams in Legacy, Denver in Getroud Met Rugby, Nathan Alexander in 7de Laan, and Tavares in Shaka iLembe.  

Is Vaughn Lucas married? He’s a married dad.  

Anything else to know? He was rugby obsessed until he discovered acting and claims to be able to hold his breath for five and a half minutes. He’s also 1.92 metres tall (6 foot 3), which surprises people.  

The killers

Norman Afzal Simons/The Station Strangler 

Born in 1967, highly educated and intelligent primary school teacher Norman was convicted in 1995 of the rape and murder of 10-year-old Elroy van Rooyen and sentenced to 35 years in prison. The majority of his suspected 22 victims were boys aged nine-13 from the Khoikhoi community, who he lured from local train stations. He was released on parole on 20 July, 2023. 

Who plays Norman Afzal Simons? Kagiso Kuypers. 

How old is Kagiso Kuypers? 32. 

Where is he from? Bekkersdal in Gauteng. 

What did he study? The National School of Arts in Johannesburg and AFDA, as well as  Audio Visual Communication at the University of Johannesburg, where he graduated with a BCom in Economics and Accounting. 

What have you seen him in? He was Chungwa in Elalini (which made him the first South African student film to win the honorary foreign film category award at the Student Academy Awards). Kagiso was 14 years old when he landed the role of Dia Vandy in the Leonardo DiCaprio film Blood Diamond.  

Is Kagiso Kuypers married? No, but he’s a proud dog dad.  

Anything else to know? Kagiso spent 10 years in the banking world as a marketing specialist before returning to acting.  

Moses Sithole/The ABC Killer 

Born 1964, Moses is suspected of killing at least 37 Black women and one toddler between 16 July 1994 and 6 November 1995. He used multiple aliases and lured victims by inviting them for interviews to work at his (fake) anti-child abuse organisation, Youth Against Human Abuse. He is currently serving a 2 410-year sentence in prison. The ABC Killer name came from him committing murders in Atteridgeville, Cleveland and Boksburg. He would phone victims’ families to taunt them, and even phoned the police to boast about his crimes.  

Who plays Moses Sithole? Charlie Eduardo. 

How old is Charlie Eduardo? 21. 

Where is he from? Glenvista in Johannesburg. 

What did he study? Charlie acted in high school, then turned his attention to writing and performing his own scripts on YouTube (@charlieeduardo1033).  

What have you seen him in? He’s Zama in Antoine Fuqua’s series King Shaka (with Charles Babaloa as Shaka). 

Is Charlie Eduardo married? No, he’s so young! 

Anything else to know? Charlie loves horses and volunteers in the stables at his local race track.  

David Selepe/The Cleveland Killer? 

Born 1964, David operated in the same areas as Moses Sithole, at the same time. In fact, four of the murders attributed to him were later suspected to actually have been committed by Moses Sithole. The one victim who can be linked to David Selepe is Amanda Thete, who was in a relationship with him before her death. David claimed to have two accomplices in his alleged killings.  

Who plays David Selepe? Anathi Rubela. 

How old is Anathi Rubela? 26. 

Where is he from? Bellville in Cape Town. 

What did he study? He has a BA Honours in Theatre and Performance from UCT. 

What have you seen him in? Anathi was Khaya in Die Sentrum, and watch this space! 

Is Anathi Rubela married? No. 

Anything else to know? He’s also a writer and he’s currently at work on two projects centred on Black, queer lives and experiences. 

Christopher Mhlengwa Zikode/The Donnybrook serial killer 

Christopher (born 1975) was just 21 years old when he was arrested in connection with the murder and rape of women in Donnybrook in KZN. He was sentenced on 7 January 1997 to 140 years in prison on eight counts of murder and five of rape, but is suspected of 18 murders and 11 attempted murders between 1993 and 1995, and he committed one murder during his crime spree while he was out on bail following his original arrest. Aside from attacking women on local footpaths, he would break into houses at night, and shoot men and boys dead before raping any women and girls in the house and committing necrophilia. 

Who plays Christopher Mhlengwa Zikode? Jabulani “Blackchina” Mthembu.  

How old is Jabulani Mthembu? 40. 

Where is he from? Johannesburg. 

What did he study? Kwa Mahlobo secondary school in Meadowlands, Johannesburg, and in acting workshops. 

What have you seen him in? He was Sbopho (father of the Zulu brothers) in The Wife, Zakes Gwala in Reyka, Galaza in Isibaya, Soshangane in Shaka iLembe, and Puso in Red Ink. 

Is Jabulani Mthembu married? If he’s not, we can only shake our heads.  

Anything else to know? The late casting agent Moonyeenn Lee signed him in 2007 after seeing him on stage at the Windybrow Theatre in Johannesburg. He’s also a director. 

Stewart Wilken/Boetie Boer  

Born in 1966, Stewart Wilken raped and murdered both female prostitutes and young boys, along with his own daughter. He admitted to committing necrophilia with his victims and even eating some of their body parts. He was convicted of seven counts of murder and two counts of sodomy on 20 February 1998. If you’d like to know more about Stewart Wilken, you can binge true-crime series Boetie Boer on Showmax now.  

Who plays Stewart Wilken? Albert Pretorius. 

How old is Albert Pretorius? 37. 

Where is he from? Albert grew up on a farm outside Volksrust in Mpumalanga and then moved to Pretoria when he was 16 to finish high school at Hoërskool Die Wilgers. 

What did he study? He has a BA in Theatre and Performance from UCT.  

What have you seen him in? Albert Pretorius is ever-ready when SA’s shows need a character actor who can do it all, but you can see a whole new side of him as drag queen Pandora Boxxx in Stiekyt. He’s Farmer Joe in Recipes for Love and Murder, Ronnie in Nêrens, Noord-Kaap, Buchi in One Piece, Anton Heidt in the Deon Meyer series Devil’s Peak, and look out for him as Pieter in Spinners. Among his many awards and nominations he won the Silwerskermfees Best Actor award 2016 for Johnny is Nie Dood Nie.

Albert Pretorius married? He has a girlfriend. 

Anything else to know? In 2014 he sent  radio station Jacaranda FM multiple photos of himself striking a sexy pose in locations from a sound studio, to a curb outside a cafe, to in front of his TV. You can still find them online.  

Sipho Thwala/ The Phoenix Strangler 

Born 1968, Sipho Thwala lured women into the sugarcane fields of Mount Edgecombe in KwaZulu-Natal with job offers. He’d strangle, batter and rape his victims to death before setting fire to the cane fields to destroy evidence. In 1999, he was convicted of the murders of 16 women, along with 10 rapes, and he was sentenced to 506 years in prison. 

Who plays Sipho Twala? Lemogang Tsipa. 

How old is Lemogang Tsipa? 32. 

Where is he from? Empangeni in KZN, but he lives in Cape Town. 

What did he study? He studied at Grantleigh college in Richards Bay, and graduated with a BA in Live Performance from AFDA in Cape Town.  

What have you seen him in? He’s Shaka in Shaka iLembe! Lemogang was also Xhosa in Blood Psalms, Patroklus in the series Troy: Fall of a City, Phedon in The Dark Tower, Bhambatha in Isithembiso, Duma in Beyond the River, and Hector in the Deon Meyer series Cape Town.  

Is Lemogang Tsipa married? If not, somebody’s missing out! 

Anything else to know? His (late) father Alfred Tsipa was a beloved scientist and educator, known as the Tsips part of the Fish & Tsips duo with Derek Fish at the Unizulu Science Centre. Lemogang was diagnosed with ADHD when he was nine years old, and he’s a drummer who has performed with heavy metal, rock, neo-soul, and reggae bands.  

Velaphi Ndlangamandla/The Saloon Killer 

Born 1966, Velaphi murdered 19 people in Mpumalanga in a crime spree between April and September 1998. He was also charged with nine counts of attempted murder, six of robbery, one of attempted robbery, five of housebreaking, along with indecent assault, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and pointing a firearm. He’s currently serving a 137-year prison sentence.  

Who plays Velaphi Ndlangamandla? Siya Sikawuti. 

How old is Siya Sikawuti? He graduated from UCT in 2011. 

Where is he from? Cape Town. 

What did he study? Siya Sikawuti has a diploma in Theatre and Performance from UCT, and also underwent drama training through the university in 2006. 

What have you seen him in? Along with being an exciting stage actor, Siya Sikawuti was Patric in Cold Harbour, Kiluanje in African Queens, and Toto in South African horror film Good Madam (Mlunga Wam), which he also worked on as a writer.  

Is Siya Sikawuti married? The man has exactly one Instagram post … but it is of a baby, so conclusions? 

Anything else to know? His home language is isiXhosa and he’s a rapper. 

Stream Catch Me a Killer on Showmax now. New episodes on Wednesdays. 

See more 

For a different take on women who talk to serial killers, catch the Showmax Original, Red Ink, based on Angela Makholwa-Moabelo’s novel of the same name, which was inspired by her encounters with Moses Sithole.