Tenth woman's body found near Johannesburg as police probe series of killings

South African police confirmed on Saturday that a tenth woman's body has been found near Johannesburg, adding to a series of killings that have prompted national alarm over women's safety.

The investigation began after the bodies of three women were discovered in July and August within roughly seven kilometres of one another in Ekurhuleni, a municipality east of Johannesburg. The discovery of six more bodies in the same area over ten days earlier this month intensified fears that a serial killer or killers were at work.

Two women were arrested and charged last week with murder over the ninth body, which was found on September 17. That victim had been stabbed and her throat was cut, police said. The two accused have not been linked to any of the other deaths.

Provincial police commissioner Lt. Gen. Tommy Mthombeni told the state broadcaster SABC on Saturday that investigators believed the ninth killing was an isolated case, though he said they could not rule out the possibility that some of the other cases were connected.

Police have noted similarities among some of the killings but say they have not found conclusive evidence that the same person or people were responsible. All nine victims identified before Saturday were women in their 20s or 30s. Several were found naked or partially clothed in open areas near main roads. Officers from the Investigative Psychology Unit, which handles complex or serial violent crimes, are taking part in the investigation.

Details about the tenth body, found early on Saturday, remain limited. Police said they could not immediately identify the victim. "We can only confirm the discovery of the body," the South African Police Service said in a statement, adding that crime scene management and other role players were at the site.

The killings in Ekurhuleni have drawn widespread public anger in a country with high rates of violent crime and violence against women.