This brings the number of women’s bodies found in the Ekurhuleni area since mid-July to around 10 (with some reports noting a broader Gauteng total of 11, including one in Soweto).
The body was described as partly clothed or semi-naked. Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili confirmed the find, stating that crime-scene management and other role-players were on site and that further details would follow after preliminary investigations. Identity, exact cause of death, and any links to prior cases had not been established at the time of initial reports. Some accounts (including from provincial police) indicated the victim appeared to have been stoned, with a post-mortem planned.
Context of the wider Ekurhuleni investigation
This discovery forms part of a high-profile, ongoing probe into a cluster of women’s deaths across Ekurhuleni (Kempton Park/Rhodesfield areas near the R21 and OR Tambo International Airport, Olifantsfontein/Clayville near Tembisa Mall, Kwa-Thema/Springs, Dawn Park/Boksburg, and now Tembisa). Bodies began surfacing from 15 July 2026, with a concentration of finds in September.
Key earlier cases and details include:
- 15 July: First victim (Busisiwe Mahlangu, ~37) found near the R21 in Kempton Park, naked and restrained with cable ties. Her boyfriend/partner was arrested shortly afterward and remains in custody; police have not publicly linked him to later cases.
- Subsequent finds in August and early-to-mid September involved women mostly in their 20s–30s, often partially or fully unclothed, with bruising, signs of trauma, and in some instances indications of sexual assault. Locations included open fields, roadsides, a river, and other outdoor sites.
- Notable identified victims include runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo (38, missing after a run on 9 September; body found 12 September in Rhodesfield), Itumeleng Kekana (32), Gracious/Gracious Nkomo (28), Dineo Evelyn Motapane (38), Nomfesane Mjobo, and Jabulile Ntimba (Dawn Park, 17 September). One Clayville/Tembisa river victim (found 7 September, underwear only) remained unidentified for a period, and a few names were withheld pending family notification.
- Three suspects (including two women aged 31 and 38) were arrested and charged in connection with the ninth victim (Ntimba); police indicated that case may have involved a relationship-related dispute rather than a broader pattern.
Police have established a multidisciplinary task team (including specialist detectives, forensics, and other units), elevated coordination to senior national levels, increased visibility (e.g., Operation Shanela elements and area lockdowns/heightened patrols in places like Kempton Park), and offered a R400,000 reward for information leading to arrests (with additional rewards from political parties in some reports). They have repeatedly cautioned against assuming a single serial killer, noting they are examining possibilities of one perpetrator, multiple offenders, copycats, or unconnected cases while treating similarities (victim profile, partial undress, outdoor dumping, geographic clustering) as concerning enough to warrant a unified probe.
Broader reactions, fears, and implications
The string of discoveries has intensified longstanding concerns about gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide in South Africa, which has one of the world’s highest rates of violence against women. The government has previously declared GBV a national disaster. Recent data cited a sharp rise in calls to the national GBV Command Centre (thousands of distress calls in early-to-mid September, averaging hundreds per day and up significantly from the prior month).
Communities have responded with vigils, protests, solidarity runs, and expressions of fear—women in affected areas reporting changed routines, avoidance of being alone outdoors, and a sense of being “prey.” President Cyril Ramaphosa has called the killings a priority, directed intensified police efforts (including potential use of surveillance technology), condemned the violence as a “shame on the men of South Africa,” and indicated he would address the nation on GBV interventions and the investigation. Other officials (acting police minister, provincial leaders, women’s ministry) have offered condolences, urged public tips, and stressed prioritisation.
Nuances and edge cases: Not all deaths share identical circumstances (e.g., the first arrest involved a known partner; one later case involved relationship-related arrests of women). Decomposition, varying discovery sites, and incomplete identifications complicate linkage analysis. South Africa’s high overall murder rate and systemic challenges in policing, forensics capacity, and addressing root drivers of GBV (poverty, inequality, social norms, alcohol/drugs, weak deterrence) form the wider backdrop. Experts (including former police profilers) have advised treating the cluster as a potential serial investigation for resource and analytical purposes even if multiple perpetrators emerge.
This remains a developing situation. Preliminary investigations into the latest Tembisa find were ongoing as of the initial reports on 26 September, with police emphasising that more information would be released once available. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact SAPS tip lines or Crime Stop. The events underscore both acute local safety fears and the deeper, persistent national challenge of violence against women.
