JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — South African police have discovered the body of another woman in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, bringing to 10 the number of women found dead in the area in recent months as investigators examine whether the killings could be linked.
The latest body was discovered at a cemetery in Tembisa on Saturday morning.
Police said crime scene investigators were deployed to the site to collect evidence.
Friend Identifies Woman
The woman was identified by a friend who had been with her at a bar the previous evening.
Speaking to national broadcaster SABC, the friend said she recognised the woman’s clothes when police showed her a photograph of the body.
“I don’t know what I’m going to say to her children,” she said through tears. “It’s painful.”
Police Consider Possible Serial Killer Link
Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said investigators had not ruled out the possibility that a serial killer could be responsible for some of the deaths.
However, he stressed that it was too early to establish whether the latest killing was connected to the previous cases.
The commissioner said investigators had identified similarities in the circumstances surrounding the earlier deaths, including what he described as a similar “victimology” and “modus operandi”.
“For now, it’s not something which we can overrule to say there’s a serial killer, but we cannot conclusively indicate as such,” Mthombeni said.
Nine Other Women Found Dead
The latest discovery brings the number of women found dead in Ekurhuleni under similar circumstances to 10 since July, according to police.
Most of the bodies were discovered in Kempton Park, near Tembisa.
Many of the victims were young women, and police have said several had suffered severe violence before their deaths.
Investigators are also examining another woman’s death in Soweto for possible similarities.
Authorities have yet to establish whether the cases are connected.
Three Men Charged in Earlier Killing
The investigation comes days after three men appeared in court accused of involvement in one of the nine earlier murders.
Police are continuing to search for other people who may have been involved in the case.
The arrests and court proceedings form part of a wider investigation into the deaths, although the suspects’ alleged involvement remains subject to the court process.
Violence Against Women Sparks Outcry
The deaths have intensified concern over violence against women in South Africa, a country with a high rate of violent crime and gender-based violence.
South African police recorded 5,427 murders between April and June, although their published homicide statistics do not distinguish victims by gender.
The South African Human Rights Commission said 569 women were killed and 1,052 survived attempted murder during the same three-month period.
Government Under Pressure
The latest deaths come less than a year after South African authorities declared gender-based violence and femicide a national disaster.
The Ekurhuleni killings have added to calls for stronger investigations, improved protection for women and greater accountability for perpetrators.
For now, investigators are working to determine the circumstances of the latest death and whether it shares a connection with the nine other cases.
Police have not confirmed that a serial killer is operating in the area, and the investigation remains ongoing.
