Wayne Lumbasi
South African police have intensified investigations into a series of killings in Ekurhuleni after the body of a ninth woman was discovered in Dawn Park, Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, deepening concern over a string of deaths that has unsettled communities across the region.
The latest body was discovered on September 17 at a development site in Villa Liza, Dawn Park. Police said the woman, believed to be about 30 years old, had not yet been identified. Preliminary findings indicated that she was partially clothed and had injuries consistent with stabbing, including wounds to her throat. Forensic investigators were conducting further examinations to establish the precise cause and circumstances of her death.
Her discovery brings to nine the number of women’s bodies recovered across Ekurhuleni since July. The cases have been reported in several locations, including Kempton Park, Pomona, Clayville, Olifantsfontein, Rhodesfield, KwaThemaand Dawn Park, prompting investigators to examine whether there may be links between some of the deaths.
Police have not confirmed that the killings were carried out by a single perpetrator. Investigators are comparing evidence from each case, including the locations where the bodies were found, the circumstances surrounding the disappearances and the forensic findings. Authorities have said it remains possible that the deaths involve different perpetrators and unrelated crimes.
Several of the victims were found naked or partially clothed, while police have reported similarities in some of the injuries and other circumstances surrounding the cases. These similarities have prompted a multidisciplinary investigation involving detectives and forensic specialists who are working to determine whether a common pattern exists.
Among the victims identified publicly is 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who disappeared after leaving home for a run before her body was later discovered in the Rhodesfield area. Another victim, 32-year-old Itumeleng Kekana, disappeared after leaving her sister’s shop in Kempton Park and was later found near Great North Road.
Dineo Evelyn Motapane, 38, was also identified after her body was discovered in KwaThema, Springs. Her death added to growing concern among families and residents as police continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killings.
The first of the nine bodies was discovered on July 17. Police said the woman was found naked and restrained with cable ties. A man believed to have been her boyfriend was subsequently arrested in connection with that particular case, although investigators have not established that it is connected to the other deaths.
The repeated discoveries have heightened fear in communities across Ekurhuleni, particularly among women who travel or exercise alone. Police have increased investigative resources in the affected areas and appealed to members of the public with information about the killings or missing women to come forward.
Authorities have also cautioned the public against circulating graphic images or unverified information about the cases, saying such material could interfere with investigations and cause further distress to the victims’ families.
The deaths have renewed attention on South Africa’s longstanding problem of gender-based violence and femicide. However, investigators have yet to establish whether the nine cases constitute a single series of killings or separate crimes occurring within the same municipality.
For now, police are working to establish the identities of the victims, reconstruct the circumstances leading to their deaths and determine whether evidence from the different crime scenes points to a common perpetrator or separate offenders.
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