South African authorities have confirmed the discovery of 12 female bodies in the Ekurhuleni region east of Johannesburg since July, triggering widespread alarm and prompting the government to respond to escalating concerns about violence against women.
Police reported that three additional bodies were found between Saturday and Monday morning, bringing the total count to 12 over just two months. While arrests have been made in three of the cases, investigators stated that the incidents do not appear to be linked, though they have not ruled out the possibility of a serial killer.
The killings are concentrated around Kempton Park and have reignited debates over South Africa’s high rates of gender-based violence. President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the deaths as a “stain on our national conscience,” urging immediate action to address the crisis.
Victim Profiles and Case Details
The first victim, Busisiwe Mahlangu, 37, was found naked with bound hands in Kempton Park on July 15. Police arrested her partner two days later, but he has not been connected to the subsequent murders.
Itumeleng Kekana, 32, was discovered on August 3 with severe bruises near a bridge; no arrests have been made. Nomfesane Mjobo’s body was found on August 26, also showing signs of bruising, with no suspects in custody.
On September 7, the body of a woman in her 20s was recovered from a river in Olifantsfontein. Gracious Nkomo, 28, was found near OR Tambo International Airport on September 10. Her death prompted further investigations, but no arrests were reported.
Elizabeth Moselakgomo, 38, disappeared while out running in Kempton Park. Her body was found on September 12 with significant injuries, sparking a nationwide search and raising public alarm. Two days later, another unidentified body was found in Olifantsfontein, with police withholding her name pending family notification.
Dineo Motapane, 38, was found on September 15 in Springs after being missing for two days; her partially burned body left behind a young child. In Boksburg on September 17, the body of Jabulile Ntimba, in her 30s, was discovered wrapped in a sheet. Police believe her murder stemmed from a love triangle, charging two women with premeditated murder while releasing a male suspect due to insufficient evidence.
Ntombifuthi Nxumalo, the 10th victim, was found naked with head injuries and stones nearby at a cemetery in Tembisa on September 26. A 36-year-old man was arrested after fleeing to another province. The 11th body, an unidentified woman in Springs, was found by security personnel in an open field on Sunday.
The 12th victim, Boitumelo Gift Mashita, 23, was shot in Tembisa on Monday while commuting to work. Her estranged husband, suspected of the killing, was later found dead in his vehicle in Midrand.
Broader Context and Response
Beyond Ekurhuleni, another body was discovered approximately 63 kilometers away in Soweto on September 20. A young woman in her 20s was found wrapped in a duvet in a dam, though police have not confirmed any link to the Ekurhuleni cases.
South Africa faces one of the world’s highest homicide rates, with 5,427 murders recorded between April and June this year. According to the South African Human Rights Commission, 569 women were killed during that same period, averaging six women per day. Official police statistics do not break down homicide data by gender.
In response to the recent wave of killings, police have established a specialized task team and announced a reward of 400,000 rand ($24,000) for information leading to arrests. Community protests featuring anti-abuse posters have emerged in the region as residents demand safety and justice for the victims.
Is the police task force actually effective? Arrests in only three cases out of twelve feels like failure.
It is heartbreaking to read these names. We need systemic change, not just rewards for information.