South Africa in Alarm as 12 Women Found Dead in Ekurhuleni Within Two Months

Police in South Africa have confirmed that the bodies of three more women were discovered in an area east of Johannesburg over the weekend, bringing the total number of women found dead there in just two months to 12.

The latest grim discoveries were made in Ekurhuleni between Saturday and Monday morning, according to local police. The confirmation has deepened fear and outrage in communities already reeling from a string of killings that began in mid-July.

While police have made arrests in three of the cases, investigators say those incidents do not appear to be linked to one another. Even so, authorities have acknowledged they cannot rule out the possibility that a serial killer is at work — an admission that has fuelled anxiety across the region.

The discoveries have caused widespread alarm in Ekurhuleni, particularly around Kempton Park, and come against the backdrop of longstanding concerns about high levels of violence against women in South Africa. The country has for years grappled with what activists describe as a femicide crisis, with women routinely killed by intimate partners or strangers in attacks that often go unsolved.

A significant number of the victims were found partially or fully naked, and several bore visible bruises, suggesting they were subjected to violence before their deaths. The pattern has alarmed residents and prompted calls for a more coordinated response from law enforcement.

The first body, that of 37-year-old Busisiwe Mahlangu, was found in Kempton Park on 15 July 2026. She was discovered naked with her hands bound with cable ties. Police arrested a suspect, believed to be her partner, two days later. He has remained in custody since then and has not been linked to the deaths that followed.

The second victim, 32-year-old Itumeleng Kekana, was found in the same area on 3 August. The young mother had disappeared in July, and her body was found badly bruised, partially clothed and dumped on a bridge in Kempton Park. No arrests have been made in connection with her death.

On 26 August, the body of Nomfesane Mjobo was discovered, also in Kempton Park. Few details about her death have been released, but like most of the victims she was found partially or fully naked and with bruises. Her case also remains unsolved.

Police then confirmed the discovery of an unidentified woman in her 20s on 7 September. Her body was found floating in a river in Olifantsfontein, wearing only her underwear. No further details have been shared and no arrests have been made.

The fifth victim, 28-year-old Gracious Nkomo, was found on 10 September along a road close to South Africa's busiest airport. Her partially clothed body was discovered in the Kempton Park area. No arrests have been made in her case.

The sixth woman to be found was 38-year-old Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo, whose case attracted national attention after a highly publicised search. An avid runner, she went missing while out for her daily run near her home in Kempton Park. Her body was found badly bruised and partially clothed on 12 September. It was the discovery of her body that significantly raised the alarm about the spate of killings, prompting memorial runs and public demonstrations. No arrests have been made.

Just two days later, on 14 September, police confirmed the discovery of another body in Olifantsfontein. The woman has not been named because her family had not yet been informed at the time. No arrests have been made in that case either.

On 15 September, the body of 38-year-old Dineo Motapane was discovered, just two days after she was last seen alive. Her battered and partly burned body was found on the side of the road in Springs, another part of Ekurhuleni. She leaves behind a young child, and no arrests have been made.

The ninth victim, Jabulile Ntimba, who was in her 30s, was found half-naked and wrapped in a sheet on the side of a road in Boksburg on 17 September. According to police, it appears she may have been killed because of a possible love triangle. Three people — two women and a man — were initially arrested, but the man was released due to insufficient evidence. The two women have been charged with premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice.

The tenth body, that of Ntombifuthi Nxumalo, was discovered at a cemetery in the Tembisa neighbourhood north-east of central Johannesburg on 26 September. She was found naked with serious head injuries and stones near her body, leading police to believe she may have been stoned to death. A 36-year-old man was arrested a day later after travelling to another province, and he faces a murder charge.

The body of an eleventh, yet-to-be identified woman was found in Springs on Sunday. The confirmation of three additional bodies on Monday brought the total to 12, with the identity of the most recent victims still being established.

The killings have renewed scrutiny of how South African authorities handle violence against women and whether enough resources are devoted to preventing attacks and solving cases. Community groups and women's rights organisations have long argued that gender-based violence is treated as a secondary concern, leaving families without answers and allowing perpetrators to remain free.

As investigations continue, residents in Kempton Park and surrounding areas are demanding urgent action, greater police visibility and a clear strategy to stop the killings before more names are added to the list.