South African Women Murders Hit 10: Police

In recent murders of 10 women in the Ekurhuleni area of South Africa, police have started to investigate the murders after another woman was found dead in Tembisa on September 26. There is fear of a serial killer, but the police have pointed out that they have not been able to establish a link between all the murders.

These murders have created fear among South Africans regarding the growing incidence of gender-based violence in the country.

Where Was the Body of the 10th Woman Found?

The remains of the latest victim were discovered at Mooifontein Cemetery in Tembisa in Ekurhuleni Municipality on the morning of September 26. The head of Gauteng police, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, indicated that the investigation was at an early stage.

According to police, the victim had sustained injuries at the crime scene, but only a post-mortem can determine the cause of her death. Specialists were collecting evidence as part of the investigation.

This discovery came after a series of killings in Ekurhuleni starting in mid-July. The bodies of several victims were found either in open spaces or by the roadside, while in some cases, a similarity was noticed by police.

What Does the Investigation Team Know about the Serial Murders?

At first, separate investigations into the killings took place. However, due to the increasing number of murders, the South African Police Service (SAPS) set up a special multidisciplinary team of investigators.

Specialised detectives, forensic specialists, and criminal profilers are working as part of this team. They are investigating the scenes of death and gathering evidence of any possible connection between the killings.

On the contrary, the officials have continuously stressed the need not to jump to conclusions regarding a possible single serial murderer. The police stated that the investigation of the tenth victim case will be carried out separately from the investigation of all previous cases.

Three Suspects in One Case Arrested

The police arrested three suspects involved in one of the earlier murders. The police arrested two women for the killing of the ninth victim whose body was found in Boksburg on September 17. The arrest of a man who was previously held by police was dropped due to lack of evidence.

The suspects have not been associated with the other killings.

This point is crucial because the investigation tries to establish whether there is one murderer or several ones involved in the killings.

Police Put Up R400,000 Reward

The South African Police Service has offered an R400,000 reward for any information leading to the identification of perpetrators and their arrest. The investigation process has been entrusted to a special unit, while the police force has issued warnings to women living in the regions where the murders occurred to be extremely cautious.

The case has gained national importance as the president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has demanded an investigation following the previous murders.

What Comes Next?

Forensic investigations, identification of victims whose identities haven’t been revealed yet, and determination of links between the cases are among the next steps to be taken by investigators.

The investigation team needs to discover a pattern and only then decide whether the deaths are related and constitute a series of murder cases.