Story summary
South African police discovered the body of the 12th woman near Johannesburg on Monday, October 24, 2026, adding to a series of killings that began in mid-July. The latest victim’s remains were found in Ekurhuleni municipality, east of Johannesburg. This brings the total number of female bodies discovered since July to 12, causing widespread alarm and fear among residents.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced new measures aimed at combating gender-based violence following these killings. These include a safety audit within 60 days across the country to identify dangerous areas such as places with broken streetlights, abandoned buildings, and poorly secured parks. Police have made three arrests in connection with the murders, but none appear related to each other.
While police believe there may be no single serial killer responsible, residents fear otherwise due to the close proximity of the killings. South Africa has one of the highest rates of gender-based violence globally, highlighting ongoing concerns about women’s safety.
Written for “South Africa Women Killings Investiga…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
Police in South Africa have confirmed the discovery of the bodies of three more women in an area east of Johannesburg, bringing the total number of bodies found there to 12 in just two months.
asserted
Police → publish → months
The latest bodies were found in Ekurhuleni between Saturday and Monday morning, according to local police.
Police have made arrests in three of the cases, which do not appear to be related to the others.
uncertain
which → find → others
Nevertheless, police have said they cannot rule out the possibility of a serial killer.
asserted
they → say → killer
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.
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discoveries → cause → Africa
Here's what we know.
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we → know → what
Busisiwe Mahlangu's body was found in Kempton Park on 15 July 2026, the first of a string of bodies found in Ekurhuleni within a two-month period.
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body → find → period
The 37-year-old was found naked with her hands bound with cable ties.
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hands → find → ties
Police arrested a suspect, believed to be her partner, two days after her murder.
asserted
Police → arrest → murder
He has been in police custody since then and has not been linked to the other deaths that followed.
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that → link → deaths
Itumeleng Kekana
Case 2
Itumeleng Kekana, 32, was the second woman whose body was found in the same area on 3 August 2026.
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body → find → August
The young mother disappeared in July and her body was found badly bruised, partially clothed and dumped on a bridge in Kempton Park.
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body → disappear → Park
No arrests have been made so far.
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arrests → make → ?
Nomfesane Mjobo
Case 3
Nomfesane Mjobo's body was found on 26 August, also in Kempton Park.
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body → find → Park
Few details around her death have been released but like most of the victims, she was found partially or fully naked with bruises.
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she → release → bruises
No arrests have been made.
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arrests → make → ?
Police confirmed the discovery of an unknown woman, in her 20s, on 7 September.
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Police → confirm → September
The woman's body was found floating in a river in Olifantsfontain wearing only her underwear.
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body → find → underwear
No further details have been shared about her death and no arrests have been made.
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arrests → share → death
Gracious Nkomo was the fifth woman whose body was discovered, again in the Kempton Park area.
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body → discover → area
Her partially clothed body was found on 10 September along a road close to South Africa's busiest airport.
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body → clothe → airport
No arrests have been made in the 28-year-old's death.
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arrests → make → death
Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo
Case 6
Elizabeth Moselakgomo was the sixth woman to be found, after a highly publicised nationwide search for her.
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Moselakgomo → find → her
The 38-year-old went missing while out for a daily run near her home in Kempton Park.
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old → go → Park
Her body was found badly bruised and partially clothed on 12 September.
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body → find → September
It was the discovery of her body that really raised the alarm about the spate of killings.
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that → raise → killings
No arrests have been made in her case.
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arrests → make → case
Police confirmed the discovery of another body just two days after Moselakgomo was found.
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Moselakgomo → confirm → body
The body was found in Olifantsfontein on 14 September, but police have withheld her name as her family has not yet been informed.
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family → find → name
No arrests have been made.
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arrests → make → ?
Dineo Motapane
Case 8
The body of Dineo Motapane, 38, was discovered on 15 September just two days after she was last seen alive.
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she → discover → September
Motapane's battered and partly burned body was found on the side of the road in Springs, another part of Ekurhuleni.
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body → burn → Ekurhuleni
She leaves behind a young child.
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She → leave → child
No arrests have been made in her case.
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arrests → make → case
The body of Jabulile Ntimba, in her 30s, was discovered half-naked and wrapped in a sheet on the side of a road in Boksburg on 17 September.
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body → discover → September
This was the ninth body found in Ekurhuleni.
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This → find → Ekurhuleni
According to police, it appears Ntimba was killed because of a possible love triangle.
uncertain
Ntimba → accord → triangle
Three people, two women and a man, were initially arrested for her grisly murder but the man was released due to insufficient evidence.
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man → arrest → evidence
The two women have been charged with premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice.
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women → charge → justice
The body of Ntombifuthi Nxumalo, the 10th body found in Ekurhuleni, was discovered at a cemetery in the Tembisa neighbourhood north-east of central Johannesburg on 26 September.
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body → find → September
She was found naked with serious head injuries as well as stones near her body.
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She → find → body
…and 19 more, not listed.
The Aporia
