South African police located the body of a ninth woman on Thursday morning in Dawn Park, east of Johannesburg, marking the latest in a series of unexplained deaths in the region. The victim, believed to be in her 30s, was found half-naked and wrapped in a sheet on the side of a road. Local media reported the woman appeared to have bruises and stab wounds. Authorities have not yet released her identity.
This discovery follows the finding of eight other women's bodies since July across Ekurhuleni, a major urban zone within Johannesburg. Police have noted that several of these victims were partially clothed and had injuries.
Despite the pattern, police have not established whether all the deaths are connected or if a serial killer is responsible for the string of fatalities.
The first of the nine bodies was discovered in Kempton Park on July 15. A suspect was arrested two days later, on July 17, in connection with that initial case and remains in custody. Police have clarified that this individual has not been linked to the other deaths.
Among the identified victims is 38-year-old Elizabeth Tsontso Moselakgomo, whose body was found behind a hotel in Kempton Park three days after she disappeared last week during an afternoon run. Two other victims identified are Itumeleng Kekana, missing since July, and 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, whose body was located by the roadside in KwaThema on Tuesday. Further bodies were discovered throughout August and September, with locations including Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Clayville, and KwaThema.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said "no stone will be left unturned in finding those behind the killings." He added that the deaths were "causing fear and uncertainty in our communities."
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said on Thursday, "Let's not get emotional, the gloves are off." Lesufi affirmed that authorities possess the necessary capacity to address the killings.
Police assembled a multidisciplinary team to investigate the deaths. The team includes detectives, intelligence officers, forensic experts and other specialists tasked with establishing potential links between the cases. They are also pursuing a person of interest, though details on which case or cases that person may be connected to have not been disclosed.
In a statement issued Thursday, South African police acknowledged the "recent rise in serious and violent crimes against women" as a matter of grave concern. They urged women in the country to remain vigilant about their personal safety, advising them to avoid walking alone or using isolated routes, stay alert to strangers and suspicious vehicles, and share their location or travel plans with a trusted individual.
Local resident Bongeka Sebela told the BBC, "We are scared to come out of our houses. We are scared to go to the shops. We are no longer free in a country where we are supposed to be safe as women."
