Key facts
- Nine bodies of murdered women have been discovered in Ekurhuleni, South Africa, since July.
- Dineo Motapane, 38, was found murdered in Ekurhuleni after being last seen alive on a Sunday.
- Itumeleng Kekana, 32, was found dead in July, 17 days after her disappearance.
- Most victims were young, in their 20s or 30s, and had suffered extreme violence.
- South Africa's Human Rights Commission reported 569 women were killed between April and June.
- Amnesty International advocates for femicide to be recognized as a distinct crime.
South Africa is grappling with a disturbing surge in femicide, with nine bodies of murdered women discovered in the Ekurhuleni region since July. The latest victim, Dineo Motapane, 38, was found battered and partially burned, her body described by her aunt as being "discarded like a piece of rubbish." Her death follows that of Itumeleng Kekana, 32, whose body was found in July after being missing for 17 days.
Most of the victims are young women in their 20s and 30s who have suffered extreme violence. Police are investigating whether the cases are linked, but have not ruled out the possibility of a serial killer. The scale of the violence has led to a national outcry and renewed pressure on the government, which declared gender-based violence a national disaster last November.
Activists and rights groups are calling for more decisive action. Amnesty International is advocating for femicide to be recognized as a specific crime, arguing that current classifications fail to address the gender-motivated nature of these killings. "You cannot fix what you are not tracking," said Amnesty's country director Shenilla Mohamed.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged to leave "no stone unturned" in investigating the Ekurhuleni murders. However, advocates like Lebogang Ramofoko argue that the violence is symptomatic of deeper societal issues rooted in legacies of colonialism and apartheid, where the bodies of black women have historically been treated as disposable. "This cycle has not been broken," Ramofoko stated.
Residents in affected areas, such as Kempton Park, express fear and a lack of safety. Lumka Maqhubela of the Girl2Woman Foundation stated, "If the police cannot protect us any more the government should step in and do something." Many women report feeling unsafe even in their homes and communities.