Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the biographical background and nature of the murder of women who have killed in post-apartheid South Africa. Archival newspaper data were examined and analysed for incidence of murders, the relationships between the women and the victims, sourcing of a third party to carry out the murder, the weapons used in the murder and motivations for the murder. The results suggest that most women who murder do so in the context of filicide or mariticide, the victims are typically someone well-known to the women, sourcing of a third party to commit the murder is relatively common, a knife and gun are the most frequently used weapon to commit the murder and that the primary motivations are financial difficulties or gain. Implications for research and practice are discussed.