Identikits led to the arrest of two men who have now confessed to the brutal killing of nine men at Sea Point massage parlour Sizzlers.
The suspects, one a Waterfront waiter and the other a taxi driver who moonlighted driving prostitutes to clients, confessed to their roles in the gruesome killing before a magistrate on Thursday.
Police have also confiscated a white BMW the duo allegedly borrowed from a friend and used as their getaway car.
Serious violent crimes detectives have not yet found the murder weapons - 7.65mm and 9mm pistols and a knife.
The breakthrough came after a police sketch artist, who interviewed several witnesses, compiled accurate identikits of the suspects.
These were published in newspapers soon after the Sea Point escort agency slaughter early on January 20.
Acting provincial police commissioner Mzwandile Petros said on Thursday night their success was due to a round-the-clock effort by a multi-disciplinary task team and co-operation from the community.
Petros said detectives first arrested the 42-year-old taxi driver in Mitchell's Plain at about 5am on Thursday.
After thorough interrogation, the man made a voluntary confession in front of a magistrate on Thursday afternoon.
This had led to the arrest of the Waterfront waiter shortly after 8pm, Petros said.
He congratulated the task team for the swift arrests, less than a month after the slayings of seven escorts, a client and Sizzlers boss Aubrey Otgaar.
Sources close to the probe said it was clear that robbery was the motive for the gruesome killings.
They attributed the killings to they fact that the robbers feared they might be recognised.
The investigator said it was "an attack of a soft target, designed to have been a perfect crime, but which went wrong".