The discovery of nine women’s bodies in and around the same area east of Johannesburg over the past two months has raised fears that a serial killer could be operating in South Africa, prompting police to examine possible links between the deaths.
Investigators say the locations where the bodies were found, along with similarities in the victims and the circumstances surrounding their deaths, are concerning enough to warrant a broader investigation. Police have not determined, however, whether the women were killed by the same person.
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At the scene where a body was found two days ago. The number of bodies found has since risen to nine
(Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the investigation to be treated as a priority as the killings fuel fresh alarm over the country’s already high levels of violence against women.
Police examine possible links between killings
All nine bodies were discovered in the Ekurhuleni municipality, east of Johannesburg. Gauteng provincial police commissioner Fred Kekana said investigators were exploring whether the cases were connected but cautioned against concluding that a serial killer was responsible before the evidence had been fully examined.
“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.”
The first five bodies were discovered in or around Kempton Park on the outskirts of Johannesburg. The remaining victims were found at separate sites between 25 kilometers and 35 kilometers away.
At the scene where a body was found two days ago. The number of bodies found has since risen to nine
(Photo: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP)
Several bodies were left in open areas near major roads, although investigators believe some of the women may have been killed elsewhere before their bodies were dumped. Five of the nine bodies were found within just four days this week.
“While investigations are still underway and (the South African Police Service) 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.
Specialists from the police Investigative Psychology Unit, which handles complex cases involving serial violent crime, have joined the investigation.
Victims were women in their 20s and 30s
Police said all nine victims were women in their 20s or 30s and were found either naked or partially clothed. Some showed similar bruising, another detail investigators are comparing as they search for connections between the cases.
The first known victim was discovered on July 17. Her body was naked and restrained with cable ties. Police arrested a man believed to have been her boyfriend, but no charges have been filed against him.
Another victim was identified as 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who disappeared after leaving home for a jog.
Her 8-year-old daughter raised the alarm with relatives when her mother failed to return from her regular afternoon run. Moselakgomo’s body was discovered several days later.
Another woman was found naked and in an advanced stage of decomposition, according to authorities. The youngest identified victim was 20 years old.
Police have offered a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the apprehension of whoever is responsible for the killings.
Authorities have also urged women in the area to exercise extreme caution and avoid going out alone, while additional police officers have been deployed in affected communities.
Killings deepen fears over violence against women
The deaths have triggered renewed outrage in South Africa, where violence against women and femicide have long been major national concerns.
Between April and July this year, South Africa recorded 5,427 homicides, averaging roughly 45 killings a day, according to official crime statistics.
South Africa’s femicide rate is among the highest in the world, according to the United Nations agency for gender equality.
A 2022 study by a South African think tank also found that more than 35% of adult women in the country had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives.
For now, police say the central question remains unanswered: whether the nine deaths form part of a single pattern or involve several unrelated perpetrators. Investigators are continuing to compare forensic evidence, victim profiles, locations and timelines as they try to determine whether the cases are connected.