Eight of the nine women whose bodies have been discovered across Ekurhuleni since July have now been identified, as police intensify a wide-ranging investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
The cases span several parts of the City of Ekurhuleni, including Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Clayville, Kwa-Thema and Dawn Park.
One woman’s name remains withheld while police work to ensure that her family is formally informed.
The latest developments have brought the names of more of the women into the public domain, giving families and communities an opportunity to identify and remember those who lost their lives.
Police have, however, cautioned against assuming that the nine cases were all committed by the same person or group. Investigators are examining each case and looking for possible links between them.
These are the nine women currently at the centre of the investigation:
1. Busisiwe Mahlangu — 37
The first case dates back to 15 July, when the body of 37-year-old Busisiwe Mahlangu was discovered in Kempton Park.
Police said at the time that the woman had been found naked and restrained with cable ties. A suspect was arrested two days later in connection with her murder and remains in custody.
Her case became the first in what would later develop into a much wider investigation involving the deaths of women in different parts of Ekurhuleni.
2. Itumeleng Kekana — 32
Thirty-two-year-old Itumeleng Kekana was reported missing in Kempton Park on 17 July.
Her family searched for 17 days before her body was found on 3 August near Great North Road, close to the Max informal settlement in Pomona.
Police registered a murder case after the discovery, with reports indicating that she had suffered multiple stab wounds.
Kekana was later laid to rest in QwaQwa. She was a mother to a 14-year-old daughter.
3. Nomfesane Mjobo
Nomfesane Mjobo was found in Kempton Park on 26 August.
Her identification has since added another name to the growing list of women whose deaths are being examined as part of the wider Ekurhuleni investigation.
A reliable current source confirming her age was not located, and Kurrently will therefore not publish an age until it can be independently verified.
4. Unidentified woman — Clayville
On 7 September, the body of another woman was discovered floating in a river in Clayville, near the Mall of Thembisa.
Police initially treated the discovery separately but later incorporated it into the wider investigation.
Acting Gauteng police commissioner Major-General Fred Kekana said the woman was believed to have been in her late 20s. She was found wearing underwear, with no visible injuries reported at the time.
Her identity has not been publicly confirmed.
5. Gracious Nkomo — 28
Twenty-eight-year-old Gracious Nkomo was the third woman found in the Kempton Park area on 10 September.
Her body was discovered partially clothed near the R21, around the Voortrekker Road crossing.
Her family positively identified her at the Germiston Mortuary on 17 September.
Her identification brought another family into the growing investigation as police continued working to establish what happened to each woman.
6. Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo — 38
Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, 38, was found in Kempton Park on 12 September after disappearing during her regular run.
Moselakgomo had left her home in Rhodesfield for a run on 9 September and never returned.
Her eight-year-old daughter, Khumo, realised something was wrong and alerted relatives when her mother failed to come home.
Moselakgomo’s body was later found in Rhodesfield, behind a hotel near the R21. Her family identified her at the Germiston Mortuary on 14 September.
She was laid to rest in Mpumalanga, where her daughter delivered an emotional tribute to her mother.
7. Name withheld — Olifantsfontein
A seventh identified woman was among those found in Olifantsfontein on 14 September.
Police have confirmed that she has been positively identified, but her name has not yet been made public because her family still has to be formally informed.
Her identity and age will therefore remain withheld until authorities and the family are ready to release the information.
8. Dineo Evelyn Motapane — 38
Dineo Evelyn Motapane, 38, was found beside the road in Kwa-Thema, Springs, on 15 September.
According to police, she had last been seen alive on the Sunday before her body was discovered.
Her family had not yet reported her missing when her body was found.
The family positively identified her at the Springs Mortuary on 16 September.
Motapane leaves behind a two-year-old daughter. Her family has publicly spoken about the unanswered questions surrounding her death.
9. Jabulile Ntimba — Dawn Park
The ninth woman was found in Dawn Park, Boksburg, on 17 September.
Her discovery brought the number of women whose deaths are being examined as part of the wider investigation to nine.
SAPS subsequently announced a breakthrough in the Dawn Park murder case, confirming that three suspects — one man and two women — had been arrested by members of the Gauteng Murder and Robbery Unit.
The trio is expected to face court proceedings in connection with the murder.
The arrest represents the first publicly announced breakthrough directly connected to the ninth case.
Police intensify investigation
The growing number of cases has prompted a major escalation in the police response.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has brought in senior national police officials, including Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo and KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, to assist with the investigation.
A multidisciplinary team involving detectives, forensic specialists, Crime Intelligence and other specialised units is working on the cases.
Police have also increased visibility and operations in affected parts of Ekurhuleni.
Despite the similarities that have raised public concern, police have repeatedly cautioned against declaring the cases to be the work of a serial killer before the evidence establishes such a link.
The investigation is continuing across the nine cases, with detectives working to establish exactly how each woman died, who was responsible and whether evidence connects any of the cases.
For the families, however, the investigation is more than a collection of cases and statistics.
Each name represents a daughter, mother, sister, friend or loved one whose life ended under circumstances that have left families demanding answers.
