South African police confirmed Sunday that another body had been discovered in the Ekurhuleni municipality east of Johannesburg, bringing to 11 the number of women found dead in the area over the past ten weeks. The latest discovery deepens growing national alarm over a string of killings in a country already grappling with some of the highest murder and gender-based violence rates in the world.
Police said the newest victim was found around midday in an open field within the municipality after a security company vehicle patrolling the area noticed the body and alerted authorities. Police spokeswoman Brigadier Brenda Muridili confirmed the discovery, though details about the woman’s identity, age, and cause of death were not immediately available. The finding came just a day after another body, that of a semi-naked woman, was discovered near a cemetery in the same municipality. Provincial police chief Tommy Mthombeni said that victim appeared to have died after being stoned, with a post-mortem examination underway to confirm the exact cause of death.
Of the 11 bodies found in Ekurhuleni over the past two and a half months, eight have been discovered this month alone, a sharp escalation that has intensified public concern. According to reporting on the earlier victims, most were women in their 20s and 30s, and several were found partially or fully undressed, with some showing signs of sexual assault. Police have said they are examining all possibilities in the investigation, including whether the killings are the work of a single perpetrator or several unconnected individuals. Investigators have also said they received information suggesting one suspect may not be a South African national, though that detail remains under verification.
The killings have triggered visible fear and anger in the affected communities, with residents and advocacy groups closely watching the investigation as it unfolds across a string of crime scenes in the sprawling municipality. Local women’s groups have held gatherings at some of the sites where bodies were discovered, reflecting the broader anxiety the killings have generated in a region already on edge.
The case has reignited national conversation around South Africa’s long-standing crisis of violence against women. According to figures from UN Women, the rate at which women are killed in South Africa is roughly five times higher than the global average. Separate data from the South African Medical Research Council found that between 2020 and 2021, an average of 5.5 out of every 100,000 women in the country were killed by intimate partners alone. Gender-based violence has previously been declared a national disaster by the government, though activists say meaningful progress has remained elusive despite repeated official pledges, including a public call from President Cyril Ramaphosa last month urging men across the country to take a formal stand against femicide.
As investigators continue working through evidence tied to the Ekurhuleni deaths, police have not yet confirmed whether the killings are connected, leaving residents in the area to face continued uncertainty. With the toll having risen steadily throughout September, pressure is mounting on law enforcement to deliver answers before the number of victims climbs further.
This is a distressing and sensitive topic. If you or someone you know has been affected by gender-based violence, I’m happy to help you find relevant support resources.
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