South African police are investigating the discovery of a ninth woman’s body in two months amid growing alarm over a series of unexplained deaths east of Johannesburg.
The latest victim, believed to be in her 30s, was found half-naked and wrapped in a sheet beside a road in Dawn Park on Thursday morning. Her identity has not yet been released.
Local media reported that the woman appeared to have bruises and stab wounds.
Her death follows the discovery of eight other women’s bodies since July across Ekurhuleni, a major metropolitan area that includes Kempton Park, KwaThema, Clayville and Olifantsfontein.
Several of the victims were found partially clothed and with visible injuries, but police said they had not established whether the cases were linked or whether a serial killer was responsible.
Authorities have instead said they are examining several possibilities, including whether more than one person may be involved.
Among the victims was 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who disappeared last week after leaving home for an afternoon run. Her body was found three days later behind a hotel in Kempton Park.
Two other victims have been identified as Itumeleng Kekana, who had been missing since July, and 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, whose body was found beside a road in KwaThema on Tuesday.
The first of the nine bodies was discovered in Kempton Park on July 15. A suspect arrested two days later in connection with that case remains in custody, though police have not linked the person to the other deaths.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said authorities would leave “no stone unturned” in identifying those responsible, saying the killings were creating fear and uncertainty in local communities.
Police have formed a multidisciplinary task team including detectives, intelligence officers and forensic specialists to determine whether there are connections between the cases.
Investigators are also pursuing a person of interest, although authorities have not disclosed which case or cases the individual may be linked to.
The discoveries have heightened fears among women in Ekurhuleni.
“We are scared to come out of our houses. We are scared to go to the shops,” Dawn Park resident Bongeka Sebela told the BBC. “We are no longer free in a country where we are supposed to be safe as women.”
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said authorities had the resources needed to investigate the killings and bring those responsible to justice.
Police described the recent rise in serious and violent crimes targeting women as a matter of “grave concern” and urged women to take additional safety precautions, including avoiding isolated routes, remaining alert to suspicious vehicles and sharing travel plans with trusted contacts.
Authorities have offered a 400,000 rand reward for information leading to arrests and have appealed to families with missing relatives to help identify victims who remain unnamed.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia urged the public not to speculate about a serial killer, saying investigators were currently dealing with what appeared to be “quite distinct, separate events.”
The killings come amid longstanding concern over high levels of gender-based violence in South Africa. UN Women has said the country’s female homicide rate is around five times the global average.
