Chapter 3 Case study: The developmental history of Kobus Geldenhuys, the ‘Norwood killer’

Chapter objectives To demonstrate the complexity and the multidimensionality of developmental influences in the life of Kobus Geldenhuys. To look closely at the case study and detect evidence of intra-psychic, psychosexual or object-relational motives behind Geldenhuys’s acts. To spot notable psychosocial, cognitive, and possible socio-political influences. To attempt to apply fundamental developmental theories and notions to a real-world situation.

Geldenhuy’s family dynamics Grew up in a disciplined and God-fearing household An only child, he longed for a sibling Mother was strict & controlling Father was soft-natured, introverted & subservient Undemonstrative, unaffectionate family environment There was little communication between himself and his parents

Attitudes towards sex and women Warned by his mother against the evil and sinful nature of women Any sexual activity was wrong & punishable by God Constantly watched by his mother, he was afforded little personal privacy Discouraged from having friends Caught masturbating, the threat of ‘dire consequences’ had a profound effect on him

Punishment and resentment Mother was the disciplinarian She claims to have preferred verbal reprimands Although physical punishment appeared to be the norm Geldenhuys apparently became severely anxious when threatened with violence He resented his mother’s bragging about him He began petty theft at an early age

Social isolation and loneliness Geldenhuys reluctantly took a job as a railway policeman Kept him largely alone feeding his antisocial tendencies But he was able to travel overseas He assembled a wide variety of pornography He was consistently described as a loner, an introvert, maintaining social isolation Later diagnosed as schizoid personality disorder

A love interest He formed a relationship with a mentally handicapped girl and became engaged to her He professed his love for her and was never sexually aggressive with her Her parents were concerned about his apparent lack of ambition, his social isolation, and his dependence on their daughter Her father cancelled the wedding

Exposure to violence He became a member of the Internal Stability Unit in Alexandra He found it difficult to adjust to this new work situation He was exposed to township violence both as a witness and a participant He was very unhappy, negative and anxious during this time He was unable to speak of the trauma he experienced daily in Alexandra

The rapes begin Three overlapping difficulties faced by Geldenhuys at this time were: - the difficulties of his work environment - the ongoing exposure to violence - the conflict with his fiancée’s father His antisocial behaviour escalated from petty theft and suburban crime to calculated rape

Rape leading to murder Rapes did not always lead to sexual gratification Geldenhuys was a ‘power rapist’; the rapes were more about rage, fury and power He commits his first murder by shooting his rape victim point-blank between the eyes Apparently out of a need to remain anonymous He was frequently conciliatory after a rape If his anonymity was threatened in any way, he murdered his victim

The crimes and sentencing of Kobus Geldenhuys He was convicted of fifteen crimes committed between May 1989 and July 1992 These included: - five murders - three rapes and attempted rapes He was sentenced to death five times in 1993 Following the abolition of the death penalty, he is currently serving five life sentences in prison Irma Labuschagne, the consulting criminologist, believed that, should Geldenhuys be freed, he would undoubtedly commit the same actions.