The detention of three people gives investigators a tangible lead in a probe of multiple bodies discovered east of Johannesburg, officials say.
Police have arrested a man and two women in connection with the death of Jabulile Ntimba. Her half-naked body was found wrapped in a sheet by a roadside in Dawn Park last Thursday, and authorities say the three suspects are due to appear in court on Monday morning.
The arrests come amid a cluster of nine recent discoveries in the same area, many of which involved victims dumped beside roads. Several of those found were partly clothed and showed injuries, details that have intensified scrutiny of the killings and pressure on law enforcement to produce answers.
Authorities described the detentions as a "breakthrough" in the wider inquiry. Acting police chief Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane said her officers were "working tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice." Police have cautioned investigators have not established whether all nine deaths are linked or whether a single perpetrator is to blame.
The series of discoveries has focused national attention on violence against women and prompted public vigils in affected communities. Campaigners and residents have demanded faster progress on the cases and clearer explanations of how the victims came to be targeted and dumped.
The next step is the suspects' court appearance on Monday morning, which will formally transfer the matter into the judicial process and may reveal more about the alleged suspects' roles. Meanwhile investigators say they will continue to examine whether the recent deaths are connected and whether further arrests are necessary.
