Sixth woman found dead in Ekurhuleni
Police are investigating after officers discovered the body of a woman on the side of a road in KwaThema, Springs, Ekurhuleni on Tuesday morning.
This discovery followed the recovery of a fifth woman’s body in a veld in Olifantsfontein, near the R21, just one day earlier. KwaThema sits about 45 kilometres from Kempton Park, where authorities found four women’s bodies since July.
Police secure active crime scene
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said officers cordoned off the KwaThema scene and continue to process it. Police reported that the victim appeared naked and in a decomposed state. They have not released her identity or further details.
Six victims since July
The latest discovery brings the total number of women found dead in and around Ekurhuleni since July to six:
- Four victims in Kempton Park.
- One victim in Olifantsfontein on Monday.
- The most recent victim in KwaThema on Tuesday.
On Monday, police confirmed that they had found evidence of sexual assault on four of the Kempton Park victims. Several victims appeared partially clothed and showed visible bruising.
Timeline of discoveries
First, authorities found a body near the R21 in July. Next, they recovered additional bodies in Kempton Park during August and September. On 9 September, family members identified Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, 38, after she disappeared during an afternoon run. Then, police found a fifth victim in Olifantsfontein on Monday and the sixth in KwaThema on Tuesday.
Task team and ongoing investigation
Police formed a multidisciplinary task team to investigate the deaths and to determine whether the cases link to one another. Investigators now use specialised resources and forensic methods to establish what happened to each woman. At this stage, police have not confirmed any direct connection between the KwaThema case and the deaths in Kempton Park and Olifantsfontein.