JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The discovery of the bodies of nine women in Ekurhuleni since July has triggered fear and renewed anger over violence against women in South Africa, with police investigating whether some of the killings are connected.
Most of the victims were young women in their 20s and 30s. Several were found partially clothed or with signs of severe violence.
The latest body was discovered in Dawn Park, Boksburg, on Thursday, September 17, adding to a string of deaths that has gripped communities east of Johannesburg. Police have deployed a multidisciplinary team to investigate the cases.
Families left devastated by killings
Among the identified victims is 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, whose body was found beside a road in KwaThema, Springs, on September 15.
Her family identified her at the Springs Mortuary after she had last been seen alive on the preceding Sunday.
Her death has left relatives struggling to explain to her children what happened.
Dineo’s family has called for justice and questioned how many more women will have to die before authorities take stronger action.
Her case is among those now being investigated as part of the wider Ekurhuleni killings.
Another victim, 32-year-old Itumeleng Kekana, disappeared before her body was found in July, 17 days after she was last seen.
Her brother, Themba Kekana, described the family’s grief and the difficulty of helping her young daughter come to terms with the loss.
Kekana’s death was one of the earliest cases in the current investigation.
Police investigating possible links
South African authorities have not confirmed that a serial killer is responsible for the deaths.
Police are investigating whether the cases are connected while examining the circumstances surrounding each killing.
The similarities between several cases — including the age of some victims, where bodies were discovered and evidence of violence — have nevertheless raised fears that there could be a common perpetrator.
Police have established a specialised multidisciplinary investigation involving detectives and other specialists. More officers have also been deployed to Ekurhuleni to increase visibility and support the investigations.
Only a limited number of arrests have been reported in connection with the wider series. Authorities have appealed to the public and families of missing women to provide information that could help identify the victims and those responsible.
Nine deaths deepen national fear
The killings have had an impact far beyond the affected families.
Women in Ekurhuleni have described changing their routines and feeling unsafe while walking to shops or moving around their neighbourhoods.
Community groups have organised protests and vigils, demanding greater protection for women and faster investigations.
For many residents, the discoveries have reinforced longstanding concerns about gender-based violence in South Africa.
The latest killings come against a backdrop of persistently high levels of violence against women in the country.
569 women killed in three months
South Africa recorded 569 women killed between April and June 2026, according to figures released by the South African Human Rights Commission.
Another 1,052 women survived attempted murder during the same period.
The figures underline the scale of violence facing women nationally, although they do not establish that the Ekurhuleni killings form part of a single organised pattern.
The country’s overall murder statistics are also among the highest globally, adding to pressure on authorities to strengthen efforts to prevent violent crime.
Calls to recognise femicide as separate crime
The latest killings have renewed calls from rights organisations for South Africa to recognise femicide as a distinct criminal offence.
Amnesty International has argued that separately identifying gender-motivated killings would improve the ability of authorities to track the problem and develop targeted responses.
The organisation says femicide is the killing of women because of their gender and has pointed to countries that have already incorporated it into criminal law.
Supporters of the proposal argue that better classification would make the scale and nature of violence against women easier to measure.
Government under pressure
The Ekurhuleni killings have also increased pressure on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government.
Ramaphosa has pledged that authorities will leave “no stone unturned” in investigating the deaths and has called for the safety and dignity of women and girls to be protected.
South Africa declared gender-based violence a national disaster last year following sustained public pressure and protests over attacks against women.
Activists and community organisations say the latest deaths show that declarations alone are not enough and are demanding stronger enforcement, better investigations and greater protection for women.
Women say they no longer feel safe
The fear has spread through communities where residents say they are increasingly conscious of the risks they face in everyday activities.
Women have described looking over their shoulders when going to shops, avoiding isolated places and worrying about their safety even within familiar neighbourhoods.
Community activists have also challenged warnings that place the responsibility primarily on women to avoid becoming victims.
They argue that the responsibility for preventing violence should extend to law enforcement, government institutions and society as a whole.
