South African police are investigating the discovery of a ninth woman’s body in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, as concern grows over a series of deaths in the municipality. Investigators have not established whether the latest case is linked to the previous eight.
The body was found near a construction site in Dawn Park, Boksburg, on Thursday after a passerby alerted police. Gauteng police commissioner Major-General Fred Kekana said the woman had not yet been identified and appeared to be about 30 years old. Forensic investigators still have to confirm the cause of death.
All nine bodies have been found in Ekurhuleni since July. Police had already identified similarities among some of the earlier cases that they considered serious enough to issue a public warning. They have assigned a multidisciplinary team to investigate, while appealing for information that could help identify the women and determine who was responsible.
The eighth woman whose body was found in KwaThema has been identified by her family as 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, according to SABC News. Her body was discovered after she was last seen alive on Sunday. Police have not said that a single perpetrator or group is responsible for all the deaths, and the cases should not be treated as conclusively linked.
Kekana asked the public not to circulate photographs of the bodies or unverified accounts on social media, saying such material can spread fear and interfere with a careful investigation. Families searching for missing relatives have been urged to report disappearances immediately; South African police do not require a waiting period before taking a missing-person report.
The deaths have prompted widespread concern about violence against women and the safety of communities around Johannesburg. The key outstanding questions are the identities of the remaining victims, the circumstances of each death and whether investigators can establish a connection among the cases.
Sources: The Associated Press, 17 September 2026; SABC News.
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