Key facts
- Twelve women have been killed in the Ekurhuleni region of South Africa since July.
- The bodies were discovered between July 15 and September 27, 2026.
- Police have made arrests in three cases that do not appear to be related to the others.
- Authorities cannot rule out the possibility of a serial killer.
- South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates globally, with 569 women killed between April and June 2026.
- Police have established a task team to investigate these murders and offered a reward of 400,000 rand ($24,000) for information.
Twelve women have been killed in the Ekurhuleni region east of Johannesburg since July, sparking alarm and raising concerns about the high levels of violence against women in South Africa. Police confirmed the discovery of the latest bodies between Saturday and Monday morning, bringing the total to 12 in two months.
While arrests have been made in three cases, police stated these are not linked to the other discoveries and that they cannot rule out the possibility of a serial killer. The discoveries have caused widespread alarm, particularly around Kempton Park.
The first victim, Busisiwe Mahlangu, 37, was found naked with her hands bound on July 15, 2026. A suspect, believed to be her partner, was arrested. Itumeleng Kekana, 32, was found bruised and partially clothed on August 3, 2026, with no arrests made. Nomfesane Mjobo's body was found on August 26, 2026, partially or fully naked with bruises.
An unidentified woman in her 20s was found floating in a river on September 7, 2026. Gracious Nkomo, 28, was found partially clothed on September 10, 2026, near South Africa's busiest airport. Elizabeth Moselakgomo, 38, who went missing while running, was found bruised and partially clothed on September 12, 2026. The discovery of her body significantly raised alarm.
Another unidentified woman was found on September 14, 2026. Dineo Motapane, 38, was found battered and partly burned on September 15, 2026. Jabulile Ntimba, in her 30s, was found half-naked and wrapped in a sheet on September 17, 2026; two women have been charged with her murder.
An unidentified woman was found in Springs on Sunday, September 20, 2026. Ntombifuthi Nxumalo was found naked with head injuries at a cemetery on September 26, 2026, and a 36-year-old man was arrested. The 12th victim, a 23-year-old woman, was shot and killed during an apparent robbery on Monday, September 27, 2026, on her way to work.
Separately, the body of a young woman in her 20s was found wrapped in a duvet in a dam in Soweto on September 20, 2026, about 39 miles from Ekurhuleni, with no confirmed link.
President Cyril Ramaphosa described the killings as a "stain on our national conscience." South Africa has a high homicide rate, with 5,427 people murdered between April and June 2026. The South African Human Rights Commission reported that 569 women were killed in the same period, averaging six per day. Police have established a task team and offered a 400,000 rand reward for information.