South African police revealed on Thursday that a ninth woman’s body has been discovered in an area east of Johannesburg, and said it could be linked to a series of killings they are investigating.
All nine bodies were found in the Ekurhuleni municipality over the last two months, raising concerns that they were carried out by the same person or people.
Police previously said that some similarities in the killings of the first eight victims were “sufficiently concerning for the police to issue a public warning.”
The discoveries have sent shock waves around the country, sparked a high-level investigation and highlighted the scourge of femicide and high levels of violent crime.
Here's what to know about the murders and the police investigation.
What happened in the latest killing?
Police said the discovery of the latest body early Thursday “will be added to the investigations into the deaths of women in Ekurhuleni.”
Provincial police commissioner Fred Kekana said a passerby found the woman’s body near a construction site and alerted police.
The unidentified woman appeared to be about 30 and had an apparent stab wound to her side, while her throat appeared to have been cut, he said. Forensic investigators had not yet determined the official cause of death.
Kekana said police had not established whether her death was linked to the other cases and appealed for information from the public.
He also urged people not to circulate photographs of the bodies or unverified reports on social media, warning that they were spreading fear and could encourage copycat crimes.
A multidisciplinary team of experts has been assigned to investigate the cases and identify those responsible. Police appealed to the public for information.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said police were pursuing leads and making progress in two or three cases, although he did not provide details. He urged the public to give investigators time to gather sufficient evidence.
“They’ve declared war against the state. We’ll respond,” Lesufi told reporters at the scene. “We’re not going to surrender.”
Police looking into whether a serial killer was responsible
The Gauteng provincial commissioner Fred Kekana said on Wednesday that police are examining whether the cases are linked, but warned against prematurely describing the deaths as the work of one perpetrator or a serial killer.
“Investigators are considering all possibilities, including the possibility of multiple suspects or separate perpetrators,” he said. “Police are comparing the evidence, timelines, locations, victim profiles and circumstances of each case before reaching conclusions.”
However, he pointed out that the similarities and proximity of the locations where they were found was concerning.
So far, the bodies had been found across several Ekurhuleni communities, including Kempton Park, Pomona, Clayville, Olifantsfontein, Rhodesfield, and Dawn Park.
Some of the bodies discovered more recently were in Olifantsfontein and Kwa-Thema areas, respectively about 25 kilometers (15 miles) and 34 kilometers (21 miles) from Kempton Park, where the first five bodies were discovered.
“While investigations are still underway and SAPS has not, at this stage, confirmed that the deaths are linked to a serial killer, the similarities are sufficiently concerning for the police to issue a public warning and intensify investigations,” said Kekana.
The victims are all young women
The last eight victims were between the ages of 20 and 38, and all were found either naked or partially clothed with bruises on their bodies, according to the police.
The first body was discovered on 17 July, naked and restrained with cable ties. A suspect believed to have been the victim's boyfriend was arrested and remains in custody, according to the police.
One of the victims was identified as 38-year-old runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who went missing last week.
She was reported missing after her 8-year-old daughter alerted family members that she had not returned from her daily afternoon jog, and was found dead several days later.
The body that was recovered in Olifantsfontein on Tuesday was found naked and in an advanced stage of decomposition.
The youngest victim has been identified as a 20-year-old woman.
High rates of femicide and violent crime
The recent deaths have highlighted high rates of femicide and violent crime in the country and sparked an outcry over the safety of women.
Between April and July this year, the country recorded 5,427 murders, which is an average of about 45 murders per day, according to the latest crime statistics.
Femicide rates in South Africa are among the highest in the world, according to the United Nations' agency for gender equality.
A study in 2022 by a South African think tank found that more than 35% of South African adult women had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point.
Police have offered a cash reward for any information to related to the murders.
Missing In Southern Africa, which supports missing people and their families, urged communities and families to report immediately when they suspected.
The organization said the discoveries had deepened the anguish of families searching for loved ones and urged people to report disappearances immediately.
“There is no waiting period to report a missing person,” it said. “The moment you suspect that someone is missing, report it immediately to the South African Police Service.”
