Police Find 11th Woman’s Body Near Johannesburg

South African police have found the body of another woman in an open field in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, bringing the number of female bodies discovered near the city since mid-July to 11.

The latest body was found on Sunday at about midday local time, police said. Brigadier Brenda Muridili said a vehicle belonging to a security company patrolling the area noticed the body and alerted police.

The woman’s identity, age and cause of death were not immediately known. Police are investigating whether some of the killings are connected.

Investigation into linked killings

The latest discovery came one day after a semi-naked woman was found near a cemetery in the same municipality. Provincial police chief Tommy Mthombeni said that woman appeared to have been stoned to death, although a post-mortem examination would be needed to establish the cause of death.

A man linked to the Saturday killing was arrested almost 400 kilometres away, police said. The arrest brought the number of people in custody in connection with the series to four.

Mthombeni told SABC that investigators believed the killing involving the ninth body was an isolated case and may have stemmed from a relationship-related matter. Two women have been charged in connection with that murder.

He also said some of the killings shared similarities, while cautioning that police had found no conclusive evidence that the same person or group was responsible for all of them.

Concern over violence against women

President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed concern after the recovery of what he described as the 10th woman’s body in Thembisa. Speaking while campaigning for upcoming local elections, he said: “This continues to make us very sad, and in many ways, it’s a shame on the men of South Africa that we continue to kill the women of our beautiful country.”

The investigation is taking place amid wider concern over violence against women in South Africa. The country has one of the highest femicide rates in the world, with an average of 15 women reportedly killed each day.

Police have not yet determined whether the deaths form a single series or involve separate cases.