11 Women Found Dead in South African Municipality
Police have discovered the bodies of 11 women in Ekurhuleni over a 10-week period, with eight of the deaths recorded in September.
South African police have confirmed the discovery of another woman’s body in the Ekurhuleni municipality, east of Johannesburg, bringing the number of women found dead in the area over the past 10 weeks to 11. The latest body was discovered around midday in an open area after a security company vehicle patrolling the area alerted police. Authorities said the identity, age and cause of death of the latest victim were not immediately known.
The latest discovery came a day after another woman’s body was found near a cemetery in the same municipality. Police said the woman appeared to have died after being struck with stones, while a post-mortem examination is expected to establish the precise cause of death. A man linked to that killing was subsequently arrested nearly 400 kilometres away after leaving the area, bringing the number of people in police custody in connection with the series to four.
Police have stressed that the 11 deaths have not been officially linked to one another. The nine other victims were mostly women in their 20s and 30s, while police said some of the victims were found partially undressed and showed signs consistent with sexual assault. Investigators are continuing to examine the individual cases to determine whether there are any connections between them.
The deaths have generated concern in South Africa, where gender-based violence remains a major public safety issue. According to figures cited by police, the national Gender-Based Violence Command Centre received 6,782 distress calls between September 1 and 16, averaging 424 calls each day. That represented a 21 per cent increase compared with the same period in August.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the deaths while appealing for information that could assist detectives. Police have also offered a 400,000-rand reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible, while the Democratic Alliance announced an additional reward. Officials have not yet established that a single person or group was responsible for all 11 deaths, and investigations into the separate cases remain ongoing.
