President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed that investigations into the deaths of seven women found around Kempton Park, north-east of Johannesburg, be treated as a priority, saying law enforcement must act urgently to bring those responsible to justice. He pledged that "no stone will be left unturned" as authorities step up efforts in response to public alarm.
Police added another body to the count on Tuesday morning, bringing the total under investigation to seven. Most of the women were recovered partially or fully unclothed, officials said, and only two have been formally identified so far. One of the identified victims is Elizabeth Moselakgomo, a regular runner whose family reported her missing after she did not return from a jog. Her body was discovered on Saturday and identified by relatives on Monday.
Investigators are treating the cluster of deaths as a priority but have not concluded they are linked to a single killer. Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said the force is not connecting the cases to a serial killer at this stage, but is probing the possibility that multiple people may be involved and that copycat crimes could be occurring. "[It] could be that it's a copycat crime that is happening right here but so far, no linkages as yet," she said.
One arrest has been made in relation to the discovery of the first body and the suspect remains in custody while inquiries continue. Provincial police leadership confirmed that the first two bodies were recovered in mid-July and late August, and the remaining discoveries occurred this month, including two recovered in the last two days. Authorities said the body recovered on 7 September in a nearby town is now part of the same investigation.
Maj-Gen Fred Kekana, acting police chief for Gauteng province, described how officers returned to stations after multiple recoveries and confirmed another female body was observed in a river beside a shopping centre. Local police have advised women in the Kempton Park area, which sits by South Africa’s main international airport, to avoid walking or running alone, particularly in isolated places.
The discoveries have intensified criticism about the scale of gender-based violence in South Africa. UN Women statistics cited by officials note that the rate at which women are killed in South Africa is five times the global average. The Commission for Gender Equality urged residents to cooperate with police, warning that these deaths show how ordinary freedom of movement can become a life-or-death issue for women, and stressing that women should be able to travel and participate in public life without calculating the risk to their safety.
Investigations are continuing, with authorities prioritising the cases and pressing for information from local communities as they seek to establish whether the deaths are connected and to identify further suspects or motives.
