Best South African crime movies
A curated collection of popular crime movies from South Africa.
Die Ontwaking (2016)
Die Ontwaking (2016)
Abel is preparing for a special gift to himself on his 50th Birthday. He wants to find himself a new face, that of a beautiful young woman. Ella Nesser is the attractive, but inexperienced murder detective, in charge of the case to track down the serial killer who has been praying on the city's young woman. When Abel develops an obsession with not only her face, but also her tattooed skin - the Hunter becomes the Hunted.
Cold Harbour (2014)
City of Blood (1987)
Deadly Obsession (1989)
Deadly Obsession (1989)
A psycho college janitor threatens to start killing female students if he isn't given a million dollars.
Human Trafficing (2023)
Human Trafficing (2023)
This TV movie revolves around a husband and wife struggling to pay their debts while getting involved in thoughts about human trafficking. The plot follows the tension when two men are kidnapped and held as hostages, raising the question of whether they will escape or remain trapped. It's a gripping story that delves into the complexities of human trafficking and its impact on individuals. The film provides a dramatic exploration of the challenging realities of human trafficking.
City Wolf (1988)
City Wolf (1988)
A nightclub singer must flee after being involved in a crime.
Night of Fear (1986)
Night of Fear (1986)
The story revolves around Steve (Ian Roberts) a zoologist who does research on poisonous snakes with the help of his long time friend Thabo (Peter Se-Puma) Steve and his wife Katrien are newly weds and very much in love but Steve's dangerous occupation casts a shadow over Katrien's happiness and causes tension between them. Sonja an aspiring artist and Katrien's best friend visits the couple and seeks inspiration for her work form the beautiful rural surroundings but she also becomes aware of undercurrents that strike fear into her heart and a series of strange murders only feeds her anxiety and an unexpected discovery that will seal her fate.
Angels (2024)
Angels (2024)
Paul Taylor, a middle-aged man, is devastated after losing something that meant the world to him. He decides to give up everything and to go and teach at a reform school for young teens in the hope he would come to understand the criminal mind of a child.
Lokval in Venesië (1972)
Lokval in Venesië (1972)
The film deals with Zelida, an eccentric spinster, whose jewellery is stolen. She and her cousin use the insurance money to undertake a cruise from South Africa to Venice. She is completely unaware of the fact that a fellow passenger, an ambassador, actually is a detective. Meanwhile, the robber, his beautiful girlfriend and the looted jewels are on the same cruise ship. In addition, an orphan stowaway is making matters worse.
Tsotsi (2005)
Tsotsi (2005)
The South African multi-award winning film about a young South African boy from the ghetto named Tsotsi, meaning Gangster. Tsotsi, who left home as a child to get away from helpless parents, finds a baby in the back seat of a car that he has just stolen. He decides that it his responsibility to take care of the baby and in the process learns that maybe the gangster life isn’t the best way.
Amandla (2022)
Amandla (2022)
Amandla is an anti-apartheid resistance slogan and means power. Apartheid in South Africa is still in full force when, in 1987, the two brothers Impi and Nkosana grew up on a farm as the sons of servants. The white owners are liberal people who aren't too particular about racial segregation. Black Africans have it relatively good there. Even a tender love bond develops between Impi and the blond daughter Elizabeth. But they have to be on their guard when neighboring farmers come to visit. When three racist upstart Boers arrive on the farm one day, tragic incidents occur with terrible consequences. The two Zulu boys are now on their own. Several years after surviving this childhood tragedy, the now grown brothers each find themselves on the opposing sides of the law. One is a gangster, the other is a police officer. A heinous gang crime tests their loyalty to one another.
Call Me Thief (2016)
Call Me Thief (2016)
In jail, a man discovers that he has a gift for telling stories and becomes the prison 'cinema' which earns him respect and status whilst his best friend becomes the concubine of the cell boss.
The Storekeeper (1998)
The Storekeeper (1998)
An elderly man owns a small, isolated general store, somewhere in rural South Africa. After suffering a series of burglaries, which culminate in the murder of a night-watchman, the Storekeeper finally takes the law into his own hands - with tragic consequences.
Senzo: Murder of a Soccer Star (2022)
Nightclub Killer (2015)
Nightclub Killer (2015)
The last time Hannetjie Stadler heard her daughter's voice was a voicemail as she called for help during a brutal murderous attack. In 2005 the popular tourist town of Knysna was shattered when two young women were murdered in a nightclub over a period of two months.
Oedipus and Punishment: An Interview with Edmund Emil Kemper (2005)
Oedipus and Punishment: An Interview with Edmund Emil Kemper (2005)
Oedipus and Punishment (2005) is an adaptation of a pre-existent sketch in Aryan Kaganof's early masterpiece Ten Monologues from the Lives of the Serial Killers (1994), which the auteur made when he still went by his birth name 'Ian Kerkhof.' The film features a monologue from American serial killer Edmund Kemper who is noted for his imposing size and high intelligence, standing 6 ft 9 inches (2.06 m) and weighing over 300 pounds (140 kg), and having an IQ in the 140 range – attributes that left his victims with little chance to overcome him.
Mapantsula (1988)
31 Million Reasons (2011)
31 Million Reasons (2011)
Cops, Robbers and Bunny Chow - Loosely based on a true story about one of the biggest robberies in South African history. Brothers Ronnie (Jack Devnarain) and Jugs (Rahul Brijnath), two police man from Chatsworth, hatch a plot to seize 31 million rand from a cash deposit facility. Its high stakes when the cops are assigned to investigate their own heist.
The Marked One 2 (1988)
The Marked One 2 (1988)
When Mr. Dlamini, a wealthy businessman, and his wife, Gugu, fall victim to a trio of crooks seeking revenge and money, they are forced to flee to their beach house.
The Marked One (1982)
The Marked One (1982)
When a wealthy businessman’s wife is abducted by three thugs looking for a R20,000 ransom fee, the man will have to play a very clever game if he hopes to ever see his wife again.