South African president vows justice as more women’s bodies found near Johannesburg
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that authorities will leave “no stone unturned” in their efforts to identify those responsible for the deaths of several women in and around Kempton Park, north-east of Johannesburg, over the past two months.
Police said another body was discovered on Tuesday morning, bringing the number of women whose deaths are being investigated to seven. Most of the victims were found either partially or completely naked.
President Ramaphosa said the deaths had created fear and uncertainty in communities, particularly among women.
“These incidents are causing fear and uncertainty in our communities, and especially among women,” he said.
Police have said they are not treating the deaths as the work of a serial killer at this stage. However, investigators are examining the possibility that a group of individuals could be responsible.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said investigators had not established any connection between the cases so far and suggested that the incidents could potentially involve copycat crimes.
One person has been arrested in connection with the discovery of the first body and remains in police custody.
Of the seven women whose deaths are under investigation, only two have so far been identified.
One of them has been identified as 38-year-old Elizabeth Moselakgomo, a runner whose disappearance last week prompted a widespread search. Her body was discovered on Saturday and identified by relatives on Monday.
Moselakgomo’s young daughter reportedly raised the alarm after her mother failed to return from her regular run last Wednesday.
The first body was discovered in mid-July, while the second was found in late August. The remaining bodies were discovered this month, including two within the two days preceding Tuesday.
Police said on Tuesday that the body of a woman found on September 7 in a town near Kempton Park had also been linked to the investigation, bringing the total to seven.
Maj-Gen Fred Kekana, acting police chief for Gauteng province, said investigators revisited reports from police stations in the area after several bodies were discovered.
He said a female victim in her late 20s had unfortunately been found in a river near a shopping mall.
President Ramaphosa said he had instructed law enforcement agencies to prioritise the cases and urgently establish what happened.
“Our law enforcement agencies are working urgently to establish the facts, keep communities safe and bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice,” he said.
South Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence. According to UN Women, the rate at which women are killed in the country is five times the global average.
The discovery of the bodies has triggered widespread concern and anger, with critics accusing authorities of failing to do enough to protect women.
Police have advised women in Kempton Park, an area close to South Africa’s main international airport, to avoid walking or running alone, particularly in isolated locations.
The Commission for Gender Equality has also urged residents to cooperate with investigators to help identify those responsible.
It said the deaths highlighted the dangers women continue to face in exercising their everyday freedoms, stressing that women should be able to walk, run, use public transport, return home, visit friends and participate in community activities without fearing for their safety.
Source: BBC
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