Meet the monster John Harris (with Jacques Pauw)

Loading player...
Please note that our top story in The Lead today may upset you. Listeners’ discretion is advised. In short, you’re going to meet the monster John Harris, as narrated by the veteran investigative journalist who unearthed the harrowing story, Jacques Pauw. Harris, 73, a British-born music teacher for schoolchildren who had frequented many towns up and down the Western Cape, was earlier this year sent to Paarl’s Alandale prison for the grooming, sexual assault and double rape of a 9-year-old girl. In fact, he preyed on several women and girls, some of whose experiences only came to light for the first time this week, thanks in part to Pauw’s reporting. We’d like to take this opportunity to urge anyone aware of child or women abuse in South Africa to please contact the South African Police Service at 10111 or call the national Childline toll-free helpline at 116.
We end today’s show with ‘On This Day in SA History’. You can send our host, broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer, a voice note with your questions or thoughts on the show: 072 562 3179. Mail us: ⁠thelead@24.com⁠. Full editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Apple⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.
Chapters
  • 00:01 Graeme's intro: Listeners' discretion advised
  • 00:53 Crossing to Jacques Pauw
  • 48:42 On This Day in SA History
2 Oct 2025 English South Africa News · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

More tough questions for Ekhuruleni mayor over DJ’s murder

There is a long list of burning questions piling up at the door of the Ekhuruleni mayor’s office these days. News24 investigations’ Sikonathi Mantshantasha is finally revealing that Mayor Nkosindiphile Xakhaza was at the scene of the 2023 nightclub murder of DJ Bongani Mfihlo, whom Xakhaza spent the night with…
19 Jan 23 min

‘Cat’ Matlala tried to open an ultra-lux OR Tambo airport terminal

When the “Cat” wasn’t sneaking his way into the heart of police operations, the controversial tender don was also trying to build a private international airport terminal with Nedbank’s financing help. Investigative journalist Jeff Wicks details yet another failed venture by Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. Later, in our trending topic, a…
15 Jan 18 min

Is the ‘prime lending rate’ just a load of BS?

Is the so-called “prime lending rate” – the fancifully advertised rate that banks use as a reference or pegging point to sell bonds and loans to us – just a giant load of untested BS? Why is it 350 basis points more than our much-deserved low repo rate, and isn’t…
14 Jan 25 min

Everything you need to know about the 2025 matric results

Back to school, back to reality… With schools about to reopen, senior education journalist Prega Govender takes stock of the 2025 matric results. Think of it like a scale: on one end, a greater average pass rate, while on the other, fewer pupils are taking critical subjects like standard maths…
13 Jan 32 min

Is KZN’s paper-thin coalition on the rocks?

Provincial coalition politics in KwaZulu-Natal are on shaky, uncertain ground, with the small kingmaker National Freedom Party trying to call the shots, threatening to pull out of the IFP, ANC, and DA government of provincial unity, leaving the MKP rubbing its hands. Our man in Durban, Soyiso Maliti, reports the…
12 Jan 25 min