Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-16 · by Mogomotsi Magome The Associated Press
South African police have discovered eight women’s bodies in and around Kempton Park east of Johannesburg over the past two months, raising concerns about femicide and violent crime. The victims were young women aged between 20 and 38, mostly found naked or partially clothed with signs of physical abuse. Police are investigating whether these deaths are linked to a serial killer but caution against jumping to conclusions. The case has drawn attention to South Africa’s high rates of femicide; the country recorded an average of 45 murders per day between April and July this year, according to recent crime statistics.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
South African police are investigating the deaths of seven women, whose bodies were found near Johannesburg over the past two months. Some victims were stripped of their clothes and showed signs of sexual violence. The killings have sparked widespread alarm, with President Cyril Ramaphosa vowing "no stone will be left unturned" in the investigation. The incidents occurred primarily around Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, and one body was found as recently as Tuesday. While authorities are considering the possibility of a serial killer, they have not confirmed this yet. Women are being advised to exercise caution when jogging or engaging in other activities in the area due to heightened security concerns.
Written for “South Africa Woman Killings Investiga…” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 13860 · logged 2026-09-16
The bodies of eight women have been discovered by South African police in the Kempton Park area, east of Johannesburg, in the last two months.
asserted
bodies → discover → months
The discoveries have sent shock waves around the country, sparked a high-level investigation and highlighted the scourge of femicide and high levels of violent crime.
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discoveries → send → crime
Police looking into whether a serial killer was responsible
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killer → look → ?
The Gauteng provincial commissioner Fred Kekana said police are examining whether the cases are linked, but warned against prematurely describing the deaths as the work of one perpetrator or a serial killer.
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cases → say → perpetrator
“Investigators are considering all possibilities, including the possibility of multiple suspects or separate perpetrators,” he said.
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he → consider → suspects
“Police are comparing the evidence, timelines, locations, victim profiles and circumstances of each case before reaching conclusions.”
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Police → compare → conclusions
However, he pointed out that the similarities and proximity of the locations where they were found was concerning.
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they → point → locations
Some of the bodies discovered more recently were in Olifantsfontein and Kwa-Thema areas, respectively about 25 kilometers (15 miles) and 34 kilometers (21 miles) from Kempton Park, where the first five bodies were discovered.
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bodies → discover → Park
“While investigations are still underway and SAPS has not, at this stage, confirmed that the deaths are linked to a serial killer, the similarities are sufficiently concerning for the police to issue a public warning and intensify investigations,” said Kekana.
asserted
Kekana → confirm → investigations
The victims were all young women
By Wednesday, police said there were a total of eight victims.
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police → say → victims
All were women between the ages of 20 and 38, and all were found either naked or partially clothed with bruises on their bodies, according to the police.
uncertain
all → find → police
The first body was discovered on 17 July, naked and restrained with cable ties.
asserted
body → discover → ties
A suspect believed to have been the victim’s boyfriend was arrested and remains in custody, according to the police.
uncertain
suspect → believe → police
One of the victims was identified as 38-year-old runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who went missing last week.
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who → identify → Moselakgomo
She was reported missing after her 8-year-old daughter alerted family members that she had not returned from her daily afternoon jog, and was found dead several days later.
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she → report → jog
The body that was recovered in Olifantsfontein on Tuesday was found naked and in an advanced stage of decomposition.
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that → recover → decomposition
The youngest victim has been identified as a 20-year-old woman.
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victim → identify → woman
High rates of femicide and violent crime
The recent deaths have highlighted high rates of femicide and violent crime in the country and sparked an outcry over the safety of women.
Between April and July this year, the country recorded 5,427 murders, which is an average of about 45 murders per day, according to the latest crime statistics.
uncertain
which → highlight → statistics
Femicide rates in South Africa are among the highest in the world, according to the United Nations’ agency for gender equality.
uncertain
rates → accord → equality
A study in 2022 by a South African think tank found that more than 35% of South African adult women had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point.
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% → find → point
Police have offered a cash reward for any information to related to the murders.
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Police → offer → murders
The Aporia
