Police say the grim death toll linked to the ongoing investigation into the discovery of women’s bodies on the East Rand has risen to nine, after another woman’s body was found in Ekurhuleni.
Eight other women have been found dead in and around the area since July, and investigators are continuing to determine whether the cases are connected.
Acting Gauteng provincial commissioner Major General Fred Kekana told the media on Wednesday that the latest body was discovered in Dawn Park, Ekurhuleni. He said preliminary investigations indicated the woman’s remains had been dumped there.
Kekana also urged women and girls to take extra precautions over the weekend while the investigation continues.
“This is not about restricting the freedom of women to move, exercise or live their lives,” he said. “It is about taking reasonable precautions while the police continue with these investigations.”
Cases under investigation from July onwards
The latest discovery has reignited fear in communities along the East Rand and has led to mounting pressure on police to intensify searches and follow leads quickly.
The first body in the series was that of a 37-year-old woman, found naked and bound with cable ties in an open field near the R21 in Kempton Park on July 15.
Kekana said the second case involved Itumeleng Kekana, 32, who went missing on July 17 and was found dead on Great North Road in Pomona, Kempton Park, on August 3.
A 32-year-old woman was later found partially clothed near the R21 on August 24.
Last Monday, a woman believed to be in her late 20s was found in a river in Clayville, near the Mall of Thembisa, wearing only her underwear.
Last week Thursday, investigators said they found the naked and badly decomposed body of a woman near the R21 and Voortrekker Road in Kempton Park.
Another case involved Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, 38, a mother who went out for her usual run and never returned. Her remains were later found partially clothed behind a hotel in Rhodesfield on last week Saturday, according to police.
On Monday, police said a partially naked woman with bruises was found in Olifantsfontein.
On Tuesday, a naked woman in her 30s was found behind Club 69 in KwaThema, Springs. Kekana said early findings by pathologists indicated she had been strangled.
Arrests, persons of interest, and reward offered
Police say one person has already been arrested in connection with one of the killings in July. Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane said police were also tracing another person of interest.
Investigators have been working on the matter with multiple agencies and specialised capabilities to try to link the cases, trace suspects, and accelerate forensic processes.
In addition to police action, political and civic efforts have also ramped up. Police have offered a R400,000 reward for information leading to arrests, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) has put up R500,000.
Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia said on Tuesday that police would lock down Kempton Park and surrounding areas, and that it was too early to say there was a pattern to the killings.
Specialised multidisciplinary team established
A multidisciplinary team of detectives, forensic experts, crime intelligence and specialised units has been set up to investigate the deaths.
While police are working to establish whether the cases share similarities that could indicate a common perpetrator or connected syndicate, they have also emphasised the importance of not assuming a pattern before evidence is fully assessed.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed police to prioritise the investigation, according to the latest briefing and updates from law enforcement.
Women’s safety message while investigation continues
Kekana’s call for precautions aimed to balance public safety concerns with a reassurance that women should not feel their freedom is being curtailed.
“This is not about restricting the freedom of women to move, exercise or live their lives,” he said.
Instead, police stressed that reasonable steps could help reduce risk as investigators follow leads and forensic work progresses.
With the death toll now at nine, communities are urging police to intensify patrols, speed up forensic identification and autopsy findings, and ensure information about suspects or locations is pursued without delay.
Police have urged anyone with relevant information—or anyone who may have details about missing persons or suspicious behaviour in the affected areas—to come forward as the investigation continues.
