South Africa Police Issue Warning After Multiple Women Found Dead Near Johannesburg
South African police have urged women to take extra precautions in an area east of Johannesburg after another woman’s body was discovered Tuesday, adding to a series of deaths that authorities say appear to be connected.
The South African Police Services, or SAPS, has not confirmed that a serial killer is responsible for the deaths. Authorities have formed a dedicated task team to investigate the cases.
“While investigations are still underway and SAPS has not, at this stage, confirmed that the deaths are linked to a serial killer, the similarities are sufficiently concerning for the police to issue a public warning and intensify investigations.”
As part of that warning, police have advised women in the Kempton Park area not to walk or run alone, particularly in isolated places.
The latest body was discovered Tuesday in Kwa-Thema, about 21 miles (34 kilometers) from Kempton Park. Police said the woman was found fully naked and that her body was in an advanced stage of decomposition.
Another woman’s body had been found a day earlier in Olifantsontein. Police said a passer-by spotted the body while on his way to work.
One person has been arrested in connection with the first body discovered in the series and is being held by police.
The recent discoveries follow the death of 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who disappeared last week while on a routine run in Kempton Park. Police and members of the community searched for her before her partially clothed body was found Saturday.
Moselakgomo’s relatives identified her body on Monday. Authorities have not yet identified the women whose bodies were found in the remaining cases.
Moselakgomo, an avid runner and mother of one, was affectionately known as “Tsontso.” Her family thanked the public for helping search for her and praised her 8-year-old daughter for raising the alarm after her mother disappeared.
Her death has shaken members of the local running community. Keamo Sefularo, who knew Moselakgomo through their running club, described the discoveries as “very scary.”
“It’s sad to know that every woman in South Africa… can’t just go outside. You can’t just go to the shop and buy flowers… because you are always in danger,” Sefularo said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday that he had instructed law enforcement officials to prioritize the murder investigations.
“I have directed that these cases be prioritized and that no stone be left unturned in bringing those responsible to justice. Our law enforcement agencies are undertaking this work in partnership with citizens, on whom we depend for any information that may help end these attacks on women.”
The deaths have renewed concern over violent crime and gender-based violence in South Africa, where women and children face particularly high levels of violence.
According to the latest crime statistics, South Africa recorded 5,427 murders between April and July, an average of about 45 killings a day.
The country also has one of the world’s highest femicide rates. According to UN Women, women in South Africa are killed at a rate roughly five times higher than the global average.
A 2022 South African study found that more than 35% of adult women in the country had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives.
The cases have also drawn criticism from advocacy group Women for Change. Representative Merlize Jogiat questioned why women are expected to bear so much responsibility for protecting themselves and argued that poor implementation of existing laws has hindered efforts to curb gender-based violence.
The Commission for Gender Equality has separately called for urgent preventive action in the communities affected by the recent deaths.
The Commission recommended a safety audit involving police, municipal officials, transport authorities and community safety organizations. It said the review should examine lighting, surveillance, pedestrian and public transportation routes, neglected spaces, police visibility and access to emergency assistance.
“Women should not have to be killed before an area receives heightened attention,” commission spokesperson Javu Baloyi said.
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
