South African police have recovered the body of a ninth woman east of Johannesburg in two months, heightening fears that a serial killer or group of killers could be operating in the area.
Gatekeepers News reports that the latest body was discovered on Thursday, as authorities intensified security measures following the recovery of three bodies this week.
Police have imposed a lockdown in Kempton Park, in the Ekurhuleni municipality, and mounted roadblocks as investigators worked to determine whether the killings are connected.
A police cordon was placed along the roadside where the latest victim was found, attracting groups of residents who watched as forensic officers examined the scene. The woman’s body was covered with a sheet beside the road.
“We cannot continue picking up bodies,” deputy police chief Tebello Mosikili told journalists at the scene.
The killings have caused widespread fear among residents, particularly women.
“This is very scary… because you can say we as women and children are no longer safe,” said resident Patience Masa.
Another resident, Zanele Vilakazi, said: “I told someone on the phone that I don’t feel safe for this to happen in the morning, so we are not safe.”
Copycat possibility
Police have offered a 400,000 rand ($25,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. South Africa’s Democratic Alliance, the country’s second-largest political party, has offered an additional $31,000.
Mosikili said investigators would establish whether Thursday’s discovery was connected to the earlier killings or whether authorities were dealing with a copycat.
The deaths have also renewed concerns about gender-based violence in South Africa, where the United Nations says one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence during her lifetime.
One of the victims, 38-year-old Elizabeth Moselakgomo, reportedly left her eight-year-old daughter at home to go jogging but never returned. Her body was found on September 12 behind a hotel.
Her disappearance attracted public attention after fellow runners launched a social media campaign to find her, bringing renewed focus to previous cases and subsequent discoveries.
The first victim, a 37-year-old woman, was found naked and bound with cable ties on July 15. Police said a suspect was arrested two days later and appeared in court on Wednesday.
Mosikili said the suspect is a foreign national but did not disclose his country of origin.
A second woman, aged 32, was found partially clothed on August 24, while a third was discovered naked and in an advanced state of decomposition on September 10.
‘Declared war’
Panyaza Lesufi, the provincial premier, said the authorities would not relent in their efforts to stop the killings.
“Someone has declared war against us, and we will push back, we are not going to surrender,” Lesufi said on Thursday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday also pledged that “no stone will be left unturned” in efforts to solve the killings.
He acknowledged that “these incidents are causing fear and uncertainty in our communities, and especially among women”.
The killings have drawn condemnation from civil society organisations and sporting bodies, amid renewed calls for stronger action against gender-based violence, which South Africa has declared a national emergency.
South Africa, with a population of about 62 million, has some of the highest levels of violence against women and children globally, according to UN Women.
