16-09-2026
South African police are intensifying their investigation after the discovery of the body of an eighth woman in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg. The latest death was reported in KwaThema, adding to a series of killings that has heightened fear among women and residents across the region. In response, authorities have created a specialist task team and are preparing expanded operations in Kempton Park and surrounding areas, potentially including a lockdown, while investigators determine whether the deaths are connected.
Police have emphasized that they have not confirmed that all eight cases are linked and have urged the public not to engage in speculation while the investigation proceeds. At the same time, authorities are appealing for information that could help identify those responsible and have offered a 400,000-rand reward for information leading to arrests.
Police have also issued safety guidance to women, advising them to avoid walking or exercising alone, particularly in isolated locations. The killings have generated growing anxiety in local communities, with residents calling for a stronger and more visible police presence. The combination of the latest discovery, the number of victims, and uncertainty over possible links between the cases has increased pressure on law-enforcement agencies to act quickly and establish whether a serial offender or separate perpetrators may be involved. The article presents the investigation as ongoing and stresses that conclusions about the relationship between the deaths have not yet been reached.
Entities: South African Police Service, Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, KwaThema • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
16-09-2026
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised urgent action and justice after police expanded an investigation into the deaths of eight women whose bodies were found in and around Kempton Park, north-east of Johannesburg, over the past two months. Most of the victims were discovered partially or fully naked, heightening fears that multiple women may have been targeted.
Two bodies were found on Tuesday, and police said the investigation now includes a woman’s body discovered on 7 September in a nearby town. The first body was found in mid-July, the second in late August, and the remaining victims were discovered in September. Only two of the eight women have been identified, including 38-year-old runner Elizabeth Moselakgomo, whose body was found three days after she disappeared during her routine jog. Her young daughter alerted relatives when Moselakgomo failed to return home.
Police have not classified the deaths as the work of a serial killer and say they are investigating whether a group of people, or possibly a copycat offender, could be responsible. One person has been arrested in connection with the first body and remains in custody. Authorities have offered a reward of 400,000 rand for information leading to a breakthrough.
The killings have generated fear and outrage in a country with one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence. UN Women says women in South Africa are killed at five times the global average. Critics have accused authorities of failing to protect women adequately. Police have advised women in Kempton Park, which lies near South Africa’s main international airport, not to walk or run alone, particularly in isolated areas.
The Commission for Gender Equality urged residents to cooperate with investigators, arguing that women should be able to travel, work, exercise and participate in community life without fearing for their lives.
Entities: Kempton Park, Johannesburg, South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, Elizabeth Moselakgomo • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
16-09-2026
South African police are investigating the deaths of at least eight women whose bodies were discovered over a two-month period in areas east of Johannesburg. The latest body was found Tuesday in Kwa-Thema, about 34 kilometers from Kempton Park. Another body was discovered Monday in Olifantsontein, while the body of 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo was found Saturday after she disappeared while jogging in Kempton Park. A social media campaign launched by fellow runners to locate Moselakgomo helped draw attention to the case and led to the discovery of additional bodies.
Authorities say the cases appear to share similarities, but they have not confirmed that a serial killer is responsible. Nevertheless, the South African Police Service has issued a public warning urging women to exercise caution, particularly while jogging in the affected areas. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the similarities warranted intensified investigations and the warning.
President Cyril Ramaphosa directed law enforcement to prioritize the murders, while Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia called the discoveries deeply disturbing. A multidisciplinary investigation is examining possible links, identifying suspects and determining whether one or more perpetrators targeted women.
The killings have intensified concern about South Africa’s broader gender-based violence crisis. The country recorded 5,427 murders between April and July, or an average of 45 per day. The United Nations says South Africa has one of the world’s highest femicide rates. Research has found that three women were killed daily by intimate partners in 2020 and 2021, and that more than 35% of adult women had experienced physical or sexual violence.
Amnesty International South Africa said the deaths underscored that women are not safe, while the Commission for Gender Equality called for immediate safety audits covering lighting, surveillance, transport routes, police visibility and emergency access in the affected areas.
Entities: South African Police Service (SAPS), Cyril Ramaphosa, Firoz Cachalia, Athlenda Mathe, Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
16-09-2026
The discovery of seven women’s bodies around Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport has intensified fear, grief and anger over South Africa’s persistent femicide crisis. Five of the bodies were found within the week covered by the report. Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, a 38-year-old runner and mother, disappeared on 9 September while out running. Her body was found several days later and identified by her relatives, after news of her disappearance spread widely online.
Police said four women’s bodies had been found in Kempton Park since 15 July. The victims were reportedly half-naked and visibly bruised. Two further bodies were discovered in Olifantsfontein, while another woman’s naked and decomposed body was found south-east of the area. Detectives initially examined the possibility of a serial killer, although police later said there was not enough evidence to support that conclusion. Moselakgomo’s boyfriend has been arrested in connection with her killing.
The deaths have renewed criticism of the government’s response to violence against women. South Africa recorded more than 27,600 murders in the year to 31 March 2024, including 5,578 female victims. Despite years of campaigning, protests and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s declaration in 2025 that gender-based violence was a national crisis, activists say there has been insufficient concrete action.
Police advised women in the affected area not to walk or exercise alone, prompting anger from campaigners who said such guidance shifts responsibility onto victims. Women For Change argued that women are already taking extensive precautions and that authorities should not wait for cases to go viral before conducting intensive searches. Men were also urged to confront and challenge violence against women, with Sonke Gender Justice arguing that it must be treated as men’s responsibility as well.
Running clubs held memorial events for Moselakgomo, remembered by friends as kind, joyful and devoted to her daughter. Her death has become a symbol of the danger women face and a renewed demand for effective action from police and government.
Entities: South Africa, Johannesburg, OR Tambo International Airport, Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
