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South African police discovered the semi-naked body of a woman near a cemetery in Tembisa township within the Ekurhuleni municipality on September 26, according to a statement from authorities. Provincial police chief Tommy Mthombeni, who addressed reporters at the scene, said the victim appeared to have been stoned to death and that a post-mortem examination would establish the precise cause. Mthombeni added that highly capable investigators had been assigned to the case while pledging to hold those responsible to account. The find marks the 10th woman’s body located in the area since mid-July, police figures show.
All prior victims were women mostly in their 20s and 30s, several of whom were found partially clothed with signs of sexual assault or bruising, a police assessment found. The first body, belonging to a 37-year-old woman discovered naked and bound with cable ties on July 15, led to the swift arrest of a suspect who has not been connected to the later deaths, according to authorities. Two women were arrested and charged with the murder of the ninth victim, whose body was found stabbed with her throat cut on September 17, police reported last week.
Investigators have identified similarities in the location and condition of some bodies, which were often left in open areas near major roads, yet have stopped short of confirming a single perpetrator or serial killer, provincial police commissioner Lt. Gen. Tommy Mthombeni told the state broadcaster SABC. Officers from the Investigative Psychology Unit, which handles complex or serial violent crimes, form part of the team comparing evidence, timelines and victim profiles across the cases, the force said. A multidisciplinary group that includes forensic experts and criminal profilers has also been deployed, Deputy police chief Tebello Mosikili stated in a subsequent briefing.
The deaths have unfolded across multiple sites in Ekurhuleni, including Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Clayville, KwaThema and Dawn Park, according to police tallies. Among those identified are 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who vanished after an afternoon run and whose body was located behind a hotel, and 28-year-old Gracious Nkomo, whose remains were dumped on a highway, local media reports indicated. Another identified victim, 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, was found battered and burned by the roadside, while 32-year-old Itumeleng Kekana had been missing since July.
South Africa maintains one of the world’s highest murder rates, a reality that has amplified public concern over violence against women in the wake of these discoveries, AFP reporting noted. The South African Medical Research Council has previously documented elevated levels of femicide, framing the pattern as a persistent national challenge that extends well beyond the current cluster of cases. Police have issued public warnings for women to exercise caution in the affected areas while appealing for information that could advance the inquiry.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi indicated that progress had been made on leads in at least two or three of the earlier incidents, though specifics were not disclosed in his public comments. The string of cases has prompted renewed focus on gender-based violence, with authorities stressing that each death is being treated with equal seriousness regardless of potential connections, according to statements from the provincial police command. Forensic teams remained at the latest scene Saturday to gather evidence that will be integrated into the broader investigation.
