South Africa confirms ninth woman's body found amid string of unexplained deaths
South African police have confirmed a ninth woman's body has been discovered in two months in the Ekurhuleni area near Johannesburg, raising alarm over a possible series of killings. Authorities say it is not yet established whether the deaths are linked.
South African police confirmed on Thursday that a woman's body, half-naked and wrapped in a sheet, was found on a roadside in Dawn Park — the ninth such discovery since July in Ekurhuleni, a large urban area east of Johannesburg. The victim's identity has not been released.
Several of the previous eight victims were found partially clothed and with injuries, but police stress it remains unclear whether the deaths are connected or whether a serial killer is responsible. President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that no effort will be spared in tracking down those responsible, saying the killings have caused fear and uncertainty in communities.
Among the identified victims is 38-year-old Elizabeth Moselakgomo, who went missing after leaving for an afternoon run and was found three days later behind a hotel in Kempton Park. Other identified victims include Itumeleng Kekana, missing since July, and 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, whose body was found roadside in KwaThema on Tuesday.
The first of the nine bodies was discovered on 15 July in Kempton Park; a suspect was arrested two days later and remains in custody, though police have not linked him to the other cases. Further bodies turned up in August and September in locations including Olifantsfontein and Clayville.
A multidisciplinary team of detectives, intelligence officers and forensic specialists has been assembled to investigate possible links between the cases, and police are pursuing a person of interest, without specifying which case that person relates to.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said authorities have the capacity to handle the investigations. A reward of 400,000 rand (about $24,000) has been offered for information leading to arrests, and families of missing women have been asked to come forward to help identify remaining victims.
The discoveries have caused widespread alarm in Ekurhuleni, particularly around Kempton Park, against a backdrop of long-standing concern over violence against women in South Africa. Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has urged against speculation, saying investigators are currently treating the cases as apparently distinct, separate events.
