Women who use public spaces in parts east of Johannesburg now face a heightened safety risk after police issued a public warning triggered by the recovery of a seventh body in the area. Authorities say the most recent discovery, located on Tuesday in the Kwa-Thema area about 34 kilometres, 21 miles, from Kempton Park, is part of a cluster of deaths that has prompted intensified inquiries.
Police reported the latest victim was found fully naked and in an advanced state of decomposition. Investigators said other remains have been recovered nearby over the past two months, including a woman found in Olifantsontein on Monday and the half-naked body of Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo, 38, whose disappearance after a run in Kempton Park triggered a large community search.
Authorities have not confirmed a single perpetrator. Police emphasised that probes are ongoing and warned women to avoid isolated activities such as jogging in the affected neighbourhoods while searches continue. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said, "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."
President Cyril Ramaphosa said he had instructed law enforcement to prioritise the murder probes. He added, "I have directed that these cases be prioritized and that no stone be left unturned in bringing those responsible to justice. Our law enforcement agencies are undertaking this work in partnership with citizens, on whom we depend for any information that may help end these attacks on women." The presidency urged anyone with information to come forward as police step up activity.
The public warning has sharpened broader concerns about violent crime in South Africa. The country recorded 5,427 murders between April and July, an average of 45 a day, and femicide rates remain among the highest in the world, the U.N. agency for gender equality has said. A 2022 study found that more than 35% of South African adult women had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point.
The Commission for Gender Equality called for urgent preventive measures and proposed a safety audit of the affected neighbourhoods that would bring together police, municipal officials, transport authorities and community safety structures. The audit should assess lighting, surveillance, pedestrian and public transport routes, neglected spaces, police visibility and access to emergency assistance. "Women should not have to be killed before an area receives heightened attention," commission spokesperson Javu Baloyi said.
Investigations will continue and police say they are intensifying searches while appealing to the public for tips. For now, authorities have linked the cases by circumstance and pattern, but have stopped short of declaring them the work of a single killer as the probes and forensic work progress.
