More bodies found east of Johannesburg as investigations continue
Police in Gauteng have announced the discovery of the 11th female body in the area east of Johannesburg, raising alarm in communities already reeling from a string of deaths of women since mid‑July. The latest victim was located in an open field in the Ekurhuleni municipality at about midday on Sunday, police said.
A security company vehicle patrolling the area noticed the body and alerted police, Brigadier Brenda Muridili said, according to reporting. Details about the woman’s identity, age and cause of death were not immediately available. A post‑mortem examination is expected to determine the cause, police said.
- Location: open field, Ekurhuleni municipality, east of Johannesburg
- Discovery: security patrol notified police at about midday
- Investigations: authorities working to establish whether the killings are linked
Police have already recovered another body in the same municipality the day before, described in reports as that of a semi‑naked woman found near a cemetery. Provincial police chief Tommy Mthombeni said that the victim found on Saturday appeared to have been stoned to death, but that a post‑mortem would confirm the cause.
“A security company vehicle patrolling the area noticed the body and alerted the police,” Brigadier Brenda Muridili said, according to reporting.
The police said one suspect linked to these incidents was arrested nearly 400km away, bringing to four the number of people in custody in connection with the series of killings, as reported. Authorities are not yet able to say whether all the discoveries are connected to a single offender or network.
| Item | Count |
|---|---|
| Female bodies found near Johannesburg since mid‑July | 11 |
| People in custody linked to the killings | 4 |
The accumulation of discoveries has intensified public anger and fear about gender‑based violence. President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the recovery of the 10th body while on the campaign trail for the upcoming local government elections, saying the incidents made the nation “very sad” and reflecting on the problem of men killing women in South Africa, according to reporting.
Community groups and residents in and around Ekurhuleni have been calling for greater police visibility, faster forensics and clearer communication from authorities. At the same time, investigators face practical challenges: bodies were found in open, sometimes remote locations, and determining cause and time of death requires lab results and post‑mortems that can take time.
For Johannesburg residents, the spate of recoveries close to the city highlights security concerns that spill over municipal boundaries. Ekurhuleni forms part of the east Rand and shares transport routes, workplaces and social spaces with Johannesburg, meaning any pattern of targeted violence could have wider implications for safety across the metro area.
Police have urged anyone with information to come forward to help fast‑track inquiries. Investigators are working to match forensic evidence and phone intelligence, and to verify whether the same perpetrators may be responsible for multiple discoveries. Officials have not released identities of the deceased pending family notifications.
As the investigations continue, residents say they expect more visible policing, quicker updates from authorities and support services for affected families. The discovery of the 11th body is likely to increase pressure on provincial police to show rapid progress and on political leaders to outline concrete, short‑term responses to protect women in the region.
