South Africa Probes Deaths of Eight Women Found Near Johannesburg

South African police are investigating the deaths of eight women whose bodies were discovered in the Kempton Park area, east of Johannesburg, over the past two months, a series of grim finds that has unsettled the country and drawn fresh attention to its high rates of violence against women.

Gauteng provincial commissioner Fred Kekana said investigators are assessing whether the cases are connected, but cautioned against concluding too early that a single perpetrator or a serial killer is responsible. "Investigators are considering all possibilities, including the possibility of multiple suspects or separate perpetrators," he said, adding that police are comparing evidence, timelines, locations, victim profiles and the circumstances of each case before drawing conclusions.

He nonetheless described the similarities and the proximity of the discovery sites as concerning. While the first five bodies were found in Kempton Park, more recent recoveries were made in Olifantsfontein and Kwa-Thema, roughly 25 kilometres and 34 kilometres away respectively. Kekana said the parallels were serious enough for police to issue a public warning and step up the investigation, even though the South African Police Service has not confirmed a link to a serial killer.

By Wednesday, police had counted eight victims, all women between the ages of 20 and 38. Each was found either naked or partially clothed, with bruises on her body, according to police.

The first body was discovered on 17 July, naked and restrained with cable ties. A suspect believed to have been the victim's boyfriend was arrested and remains in custody.

One of the women has been identified as 38-year-old runner Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo, who went missing last week. She was reported missing after her eight-year-old daughter told family members she had not returned from her daily afternoon jog, and was found dead several days later. The youngest victim has been identified as a 20-year-old woman. A body recovered in Olifantsfontein on Tuesday was found naked and in an advanced state of decomposition.

The deaths have intensified an outcry over the safety of women in South Africa. Crime statistics show 5,427 murders were recorded between April and July this year, an average of about 45 a day. Femicide rates in the country rank among the highest in the world, according to the United Nations agency for gender equality, and a 2022 study by a South African think tank found that more than 35% of adult women in the country had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point.

Police have offered a cash reward for information related to the murders.