11 Women Found Dead in Ekurhuleni in 10 Weeks

By Staff Reporter | Johannesburg

The discovery of another woman’s body in Ekurhuleni has brought to 11 the number of women found dead in the municipality over the past 10 weeks, raising renewed concern over violence against women in the area.

Police said the latest victim was found in an open field shortly after midday on Sunday after a security company vehicle passing through the area spotted the body and alerted authorities.

The woman’s identity, age and cause of death had not been established at the time of reporting. The discovery came a day after police responded to another scene in Ekurhuleni where a woman’s body was found near a cemetery.

Gauteng provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni said the woman appeared to have been killed with stones. A post-mortem examination is expected to establish the precise cause of death. Police said a man allegedly linked to that killing was arrested almost 400 kilometres away after leaving the area. His arrest brings to four the number of people currently in custody in connection with the series of killings. However, authorities have stressed that the cases have not been formally linked.

Eight bodies found this month

Despite the absence of an established connection between the cases, the number of deaths has attracted growing public attention. Eight of the 11 bodies were reportedly discovered during September alone. Police have said some of the victims were found partially or completely undressed, while some showed indications of sexual assault. Most of the other victims were women in their 20s and 30s.

The circumstances surrounding each death remain subject to investigation, with forensic examinations expected to help investigators determine the causes of death and establish whether any links exist. Police have not identified a common suspect, motive or method connecting the cases. Authorities are therefore continuing to treat the investigations separately until evidence establishes otherwise.

South Africa’s wider GBV crisis

The deaths come against the backdrop of South Africa’s long-running struggle with gender-based violence and violence against women. The country has introduced various measures aimed at addressing the problem, including dedicated support services for victims and survivors. The Gender-Based Violence Command Centre has continued to receive large numbers of distress calls.

Between September 1 and 16, the centre reportedly received 6 782 calls, an average of more than 400 calls a day. The figure represented a reported 21 percent increase compared with the same period in August. The Ekurhuleni cases have therefore intensified concerns among residents and community organisations about women's safety, particularly in isolated locations. For investigators, however, the immediate priority remains identifying the latest victim and establishing how she died.

Police are expected to rely on post-mortem examinations, forensic evidence, witness accounts and other investigative leads as they work to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The arrest of a fourth suspect provides a potential breakthrough in one of the cases, but authorities have not indicated that the suspect is connected to the wider series.

Until investigators establish such links, the 11 deaths remain separate cases. Meanwhile, families and communities continue to await answers about the identities and circumstances of the women who have died, as police work to establish what happened at each crime scene and bring those responsible to justice.

Ekurhuleni women deaths