Sizzlers massacre: ‘Something evil happened in that house that night’
True crime podcaster and author Nicole Engelbrecht has written a new book on the devastating Sizzlers massacre that left nine people dead.
Pippa Hudson with true crime author Nicole Engelbrecht. Picture: CapeTalk
Pippa Hudson speaks with Nicole Engelbrecht, Author of 'Sizzlers: The Hate Crime That Tore Sea Point Apart'
Listen to the interview in the audio below.
True crime is an extremely popular genre around the world.
Research has found that the obsession with true crime appeals to humans’ innate interest in good versus evil.
Women are particularly fascinated, as they find comfort in learning how to avoid these situations and feel a sense of calm because they are not the victim.
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Engelbrecht is an expert in true crime storytelling and has written a number of books and has an acclaimed podcast.
She has been drawn to true crime from when she was about 13, after the sister of her classmate was abducted and murdered.
Since then, she became deeply curious about the perpetrators, the victims, and the way these devastating crimes affect the families.
Part of the reason why she shares these true crime cases is to give a voice to the victims who may have been forgotten overtime.
“The question that always has to be my bouncing board is, is this serving the people that are affected by this case?”
- Nicole Engelbrecht, Author - Sizzlers: The Hate Crime That Tore Sea Point Apart
As her platform has grown, she says families often reach out to her with their stories so that she can share them.
Her most recent book is on the Sizzlers massacre which happened in Sea Point 21 years ago.
Ten men were brutally tortured for three hours at Sizzlers, a male-to-male sex work establishment.
Only one of these 10, Quinton Taylor, survived the attack and he was instrumental in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
“Every individual I spoke to who that was in the house that day, it has stayed with them since then. Most of them say that there is no crime that has matched it.”
- Nicole Engelbrecht, Author - Sizzlers: The Hate Crime That Tore Sea Point Apart
“The paramedic said… there was just something evil about what happened in that house that night.”
- Nicole Engelbrecht, Author - Sizzlers: The Hate Crime That Tore Sea Point Apart
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.