South African police have issued a warning to women after another woman’s body was discovered east of Johannesburg, bringing the number of reported female victims found in the area in recent months to seven.
The latest body was found on Tuesday in Kwa-Thema, about 34 kilometres from Kempton Park. Police said the victim was fully naked and in an advanced state of decomposition.
Authorities believe the cases may be connected. However, police have not confirmed that a serial killer is responsible for the deaths. Investigators are examining similarities between the cases while working to establish what happened to each victim.
Police Warn Women to Stay Alert
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has urged women to take extra care when exercising or carrying out other activities alone in the affected areas.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said investigators had not reached a conclusion about whether the deaths were linked to one killer. However, she said the similarities were serious enough to justify a public warning.
SAPS has also increased its efforts to investigate the deaths. Officers are appealing to members of the public to provide any information that could help identify those responsible.
More Bodies Found in Recent Days
The latest discovery came after another body was found in Olifantsontein on Monday.
On Saturday, police and residents searching for a missing 38-year-old woman found her body after she disappeared while jogging in Kempton Park the previous week. Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo had been the subject of a community search before her half-naked body was discovered.
The incidents have increased fears among residents in communities east of Johannesburg. They have also renewed concerns about violence against women in South Africa.
Ramaphosa Orders Priority Investigations
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he had instructed police authorities to give the murder investigations urgent attention.
Ramaphosa said law enforcement agencies must work closely with communities. He also urged members of the public to share information that could help investigators identify those responsible.
The president’s intervention comes as concerns grow over the safety of women in the affected areas. Police have yet to establish whether all seven cases are connected.
South Africa Faces High Levels of Violent Crime
The latest deaths have also drawn attention to South Africa’s wider struggle with violent crime.
The country recorded 5,427 murders between April and July, according to the latest crime statistics. That figure represents an average of about 45 killings every day.
Violence against women remains a major concern. The UN agency for gender equality has reported that South Africa has one of the world’s highest femicide rates.
A South African study published in 2022 also found that more than 35% of adult women had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point.
Calls for Safer Public Spaces
The Commission for Gender Equality has called for immediate preventive measures in the areas where the bodies were discovered.
The commission wants authorities to conduct safety audits involving police, municipal officials, transport authorities and community safety groups.
Those assessments would examine street lighting, surveillance, pedestrian routes and public transport. They would also look at neglected areas, police visibility and access to emergency services.
Commission spokesperson Javu Baloyi said women should not have to lose their lives before authorities give an area greater security attention.
For now, police continue to investigate the deaths. While fears of a possible serial killer remain, authorities have stressed that no such link has been officially confirmed.
