South African police have recovered the body of a ninth woman in the eastern part of Johannesburg within two months, amid growing concerns over a series of killings targeting women.
The latest body was found on Thursday along a roadside in Dawn Park, leading authorities to intensify security operations across parts of the Ekurhuleni municipality.
Police have also imposed a lockdown in Kempton Park and established roadblocks following the discovery of three partially naked bodies in the area this week.
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Speaking to journalists at the scene, Deputy Police Chief Tebello Mosikili expressed concern over the repeated discovery of bodies.
“We cannot continue picking up bodies,” Mosikili said.
Authorities have announced a 400,000 rand ($25,000) reward for information that could assist investigators in identifying and arresting those responsible for the killings.
The Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s second-largest political party, has separately offered a $31,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those behind the deaths.
Mosikili said investigators were working to determine whether Thursday’s discovery was linked to the earlier cases or involved a separate perpetrator.
The killings have renewed concerns about gender-based violence in South Africa, where violence against women remains a major social issue.
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The United Nations estimates that one in three women in the country experiences physical or sexual violence during her lifetime, despite government efforts to tackle gender-based violence.
One of the victims, 38-year-old Elizabeth Moselakgomo, reportedly left her eight-year-old daughter at home to go jogging but failed to return.
Her body was later found behind a hotel on September 12. Her disappearance had attracted public attention after fellow runners launched a social media campaign seeking information about her whereabouts.
The campaign also drew attention to earlier cases and the subsequent discovery of additional bodies.
Police said the first victim, a 37-year-old woman, was found naked and bound with cable ties on July 15. A suspect was arrested two days later and appeared in court on Wednesday.
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According to Mosikili, the suspect is a foreign national, although the police chief did not disclose his country of origin.
A second victim, aged 32, was found partially clothed on August 24, while a third woman was discovered naked and in an advanced state of decomposition on September 10.
Investigations are continuing as police work to establish whether the cases are connected and identify those responsible for the deaths.
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