Three questioned as police probe deaths of nine women in Ekurhuleni - IOL

Family and friends attend the funeral service of the late Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, in Pankop township, Mpumalanga, on Sunday.

Three persons of interest have been called in for questioning as a high-level investigation into the deaths of nine women in Ekurhuleni gathers pace, with authorities saying they have yet to establish whether the cases are linked.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia provided the update following an urgent meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), saying investigators had made progress while cautioning against conclusions that a serial killer was responsible for all nine deaths.

“Investigations are continuing, progress has been made, there are now three persons of interest who have been called in for questioning,” Cachalia said.

The nine bodies were discovered across Ekurhuleni over the past two months, including in Kempton Park, Rhodesfield, KwaThema and Dawn Park. The ninth body was discovered in Dawn Park on September 17, prompting police to add the case to the existing investigation.

Cachalia said eight of the nine victims had now been positively identified, up from four earlier in the week, with seven families notified. One family had yet to be informed because investigators had not obtained an address.

But while police are pursuing possible connections between the deaths, Cachalia said investigators had not established that the killings were the work of a serial killer.

“These investigations have not confirmed conclusively that we are dealing with a serial killer because the cases are not all necessarily linked and there is some indication of a different modus operandi, as well as different motives,” he said.

“Nothing has yet been excluded while investigations are continuing.”

Cachalia further added that Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi have been called up to assist with the Ekurhuleni murder investigations. 

“I indicated earlier in the week that we had set up a multidisciplinary team, headed by a deputy provincial commissioner. That team has subsequently been strengthened. It's now headed by Lieutenant-General Senthumule, who's a lieutenant-general and part of the national leadership. She's being assisted by General Khumalo, head of Crime Intelligence, as well as General Mkhwanazi,” he said.

The police have simultaneously increased their presence in affected communities, with Cachalia confirming an operational deployment covering parts of Ekurhuleni, including Kempton Park, aimed at increasing visibility alongside the detective work.

“We need to do that to give our people in the affected communities the assurance that their safety is our primary concern,” he said.

Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said the IMC had approved an emergency strategy that included increased law-enforcement visibility and environmental interventions in areas where women’s bodies had been found.

The City of Ekurhuleni is expected to intensify grass cutting, clear overgrown open spaces, and remove illegal dumping, measures Chikunga said formed part of efforts to improve safety in public spaces.

“The City of Ekurhuleni will intensify grass cutting and de-pushing of open spaces and clearing of illegal dumping sites.” 

She stressed, however, that community clean-up initiatives should not shift responsibility away from government.

Businesses operating in public spaces were also urged to ensure lighting, security systems, and surveillance infrastructure were functional and to cooperate with police requests for information or security footage that could assist investigations.

The killings have also drawn international concern.

The United Nations in South Africa said it was “deeply alarmed” by the killings, warning that they reflected the persistent and deadly violence faced by women and girls in the country.

“These killings are not isolated tragedies. They reflect the persistent and deadly violence faced by women and girls in South Africa. The killings are devastating families and communities, heightening fear and insecurity among women and girls, and undermining their human rights, safety, well-being, and socio-economic advancement.”

It called for the investigation to be prompt and thorough and for perpetrators to be held accountable.

Amnesty International South Africa has similarly called for action, with Executive Director Shenilla Mohamed saying women should not bear the burden of constantly changing their behaviour to protect themselves from violence.

“Women are tired of platitudes. We want to know what is going to be done to make women and children safe in South Africa. We do not only want condolences, but we want action,” Mohamed said.