Pamela Ncumisa Selani, 47, carried out three killings over two years — concealing all victims in a single shallow grave until restless spirits led a traditional healer to alert police in 2020.

Published: March 1, 2025

Three Bodies, One Grave, Two Years of Secrets: The Case Against Pamela Selani

A 47-year-old Pretoria woman has been handed three life sentences after a court found her guilty of murdering two boyfriends and her own teenage son — all of whose bodies were buried on top of each other in a shallow grave in her backyard.

Pamela Ncumisa Selani’s crimes spanned from 2016 to 2018 and only came to light in 2020, when her younger son confessed to a traditional healer that restless spirits were haunting their home. The healer subsequently alerted police, triggering an exhumation that uncovered all three bodies.

2016: The Hammer Attack That Began the Killing

The killing spree began in 2016 after Selani discovered she was HIV-positive. According to court testimony, she blamed her Malawian boyfriend, Michael Changisa, for her diagnosis and conspired with her other boyfriend — Zimbabwean national Michael Phiri — to have him killed.

Her surviving son testified that Phiri hid inside a toilet with a hammer and waited for Changisa to arrive home. Changisa arrived intoxicated and was struck from behind. He was left on a bed without medical attention and died approximately two weeks later.

Phiri buried Changisa in the backyard and subsequently moved into the home with Selani and her two sons.

2017: Second Boyfriend Poisoned and Drowned

By 2017, tensions had developed between Phiri and Selani’s 17-year-old son. The court heard that Selani and Phiri agreed to kill the teenager, obtaining rat poison known locally as halephirimi and lacing his food and beer with it.

The teenager began foaming at the mouth and lost his balance shortly after consuming the poisoned food and drink. Phiri and Selani then forced his head into a dustbin filled with water until he drowned.

Phiri’s body was later buried in the same hole — directly on top of Changisa.

2018: Son Murdered After Threatening to Go to Police

In 2018, Selani’s teenage son began struggling with drug dependency and demanding money from his mother. He issued repeated threats, warning that if his demands were not met, he would report to police the existence of the bodies buried in the yard.

The blackmail continued for several months. In November 2018, Selani acted. She re-entered the house while her son slept and struck him repeatedly on the head with a hammer. When he was found to still be breathing, she instructed her younger son to fetch a brick, with which she delivered the fatal blows.

The body was buried on top of the two previous victims. Selani told family and neighbours that her son had relocated to Cape Town.

2020: Traditional Healer Alerts Police After Younger Son’s Confession

In 2020, Selani’s younger son fell seriously ill. During traditional healing rituals conducted in the bush, the boy disclosed to healer Mr Tshuma what had been happening at their home. Tshuma advised that the truth must be told and subsequently alerted the authorities.

Police exhumed three bodies from the backyard. Forensic examination revealed blunt force trauma to two of the skulls, consistent with hammer blows. The third showed no such injuries — a finding consistent with death by poisoning.

Sentencing: Judge Finds Murders Were Premeditated

On July 29, 2024, Judge Mosopa sentenced Selani to life imprisonment for each of the three murders, with an additional five years for defeating the ends of justice.

In delivering the sentence, the judge stated: “From the evidence, it is clear that the murders were well planned in advance and not committed on the spur of the moment.”

Selani exercised her right to remain silent and did not testify in her own defence.

Surviving Son: ‘I Tried to Report It in 2018 But Police Turned Me Away’

Selani’s surviving son, now 21 years old, served as a key witness for the prosecution. He revealed that he had attempted to report the murders to police as far back as 2018, but was turned away. The trauma of living with the knowledge of three bodies buried in his yard forced him to abandon his education in Grade 10.

He has since testified against his own mother, bringing the case to its conclusion.

TAGS: Pamela Selani | Pretoria murder case | South Africa triple murder | backyard grave Pretoria | life sentence South Africa | Mosopa judgment 2024 | South Africa crime