Police in South Africa have confirmed that the body of a ninth woman has been found in just two months, amid growing concern about a series of mysterious deaths east of Johannesburg.
Police said they found the victim on Thursday morning on the side of a road in Down Park. She was half-naked and wrapped in a sheet. Her identity has not yet been revealed.
This incident adds to the deaths of eight other women whose bodies have been found since July around Ekurhuleni, a major residential area in Johannesburg.
A number of female victims were found partially clothed and had suffered injuries, but the police stressed that they had not yet determined whether all the deaths were related to each other or whether a serial killer was responsible for them.
Local media reported that the last body belonged to a woman believed to be in her thirties, and she appeared to have been subjected to bruises and stab wounds.
The discovery of the body sparked fear in the area, especially among women who say they no longer feel safe.
"We are afraid to leave our homes. We are afraid to go to the shops. We no longer have freedom in a country where we are supposed to be safe as women," Bongika Sibilla, a resident of the area, told the BBC.
President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to "spare no effort" to find those responsible for the killings, which he said "cause fear and anxiety in our communities."
Elizabeth "Tsuntsu" Mosilakgomo, 38, was among the victims. She disappeared last week after leaving her home for an afternoon run. Her body was found three days later behind a hotel in Kempton Park.
Since then, two additional victims have been identified: Itumeleng Kekana, who had been missing since July, and Dineo Evelyn Motapane, 38, whose bodies were found on the side of the road in Kwatima on Tuesday.
The first of nine bodies was found in Kempton Park on 15 July. A suspect was arrested two days later in connection with that case and remains in custody, but police have not linked that suspect to the other deaths.
Other bodies were found during August and September, including those in Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Clayville and Kwathema.
The police formed a multidisciplinary team, including investigators, intelligence officers, forensic experts and other specialists, to investigate the deaths and determine whether there are links between the cases.
The police are also pursuing a person of interest, although they have not revealed the case or cases to which that person may be linked.
“Let's not get emotional, the gloves are off,” Gauteng Premier Paniza Lesufi said on Thursday, adding that authorities had the capacity to deal with the killings.
South African police said in a statement on Thursday that the recent rise in serious and violent crimes against women remains a "matter of grave concern" and urged women in the country to be vigilant about their personal safety.
The police advised women to avoid walking alone or using isolated roads, to remain alert towards strangers and suspicious vehicles, to share their location or transportation plans with someone they trust, and not to walk while using headphones or earphones at a high volume, warning that this may reduce their awareness of their surroundings.
The police statement stressed that “adherence to personal safety measures may save lives.”
Authorities have offered a reward of 400,000 rand ($24,000) for information that could lead to arrests, and have appealed to families with missing relatives for help identifying the remaining victims.
The discovery of the bodies has caused widespread concern in Ekurhuleni, particularly around Kempton Park, and comes amid long-standing concerns about high levels of violence against women in South Africa.
