Ekurhuleni WatchA public, sourced record of the 2026 Ekurhuleni killings
Active SAPS investigation. Know something? Call 082 465 7249 or Crime Stop 08600 10111.

Sources

Every fact on this site points back to one of these. Where two sources disagree, both versions are listed below. Newest last.

DateOutletReportWhat it adds
1 Jan 2015researchJournal of Investigative Psychology and Offender ProfilingSouth African Serial Homicide: A Victim-Focused Behavioural Typology (Horning, Salfati & Labuschagne, 2015)The baseline we compare against: 302 incidents, 33 South African series offenders (1953 to 2007). 78% of scenes outdoors; 94% of bodies found where the victim was killed; 47% of victims female; 73% strangers; 47% of approaches were a con/lure (often a job offer); 26% strangled, 30% shot.
3 Aug 2026newsKempton Express (The Citizen)Body of missing Itumeleng Kekana found near Pomona informal settlementThe same-day local report of the second discovery, found on 16 September while checking the identification. Itumeleng Kekana, 32, reported missing to Kempton Park SAPS on 17 July, was found at about 10:00 on 3 August in the bushes next to the road near Great North Road, close to Max Informal Settlement in Pomona. Kempton Park SAPS spokesperson Sgt Dipuo Ditshego said she had multiple stab wounds, that a murder case had been registered and no one had been arrested, and that the body was taken to the Germiston mortuary. Author: Kamogelo Magolo. Published 17:20.
12 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenKempton Park serial killer fears: Saps warns women after four bodies foundFirst public SAPS warning. Brig. Athlenda Mathe's statement; task team formed on instruction of acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane, led by Maj-Gen Mbuso Khumalo; tip line W/O Elvis Manyike 082 465 7249; MySAPS app for anonymous tips.
14 Sept 2026newsBNO NewsSouth African police investigate possible serial killer near JohannesburgClean dated list of the first four discoveries with ages and condition (15 July: 37, naked, cable ties; 24 Aug: 32, partially clothed; 10 Sept: unidentified, advanced decomposition; 12 Sept: 38). Note: its account of the fifth body conflates it with Ms Moselakgomo, treated as an error.
14 Sept 2026newsBriefly.co.zaKempton Park killings: criminologist says killings could be the work of a serial killerProf. Nirmala Gopal's assessment (single-perpetrator hallmarks) vs Maj-Gen Fred Kekana's caution. Confirms the first two bodies were both near the R21.
14 Sept 2026newsIOLMAPPED: This is where the 5 murdered Kempton Park bodies have been foundLocation per discovery: 1 & 2 near the R21; 3 & 4 Rhodesfield; 5 R21 towards Olifantsfontein. Notes a suspect was arrested two days after discovery 1. Author: Sihle Mlambo.
14 Sept 2026newsDaily Maverick'We are scared as women', say Kempton Park residents after fifth body is foundMost detail on Ms Moselakgomo: evening run on Main Road, Rhodesfield on 9 Sept; found York Street near the Southern Sun OR Tambo on 12 Sept; identified 14 Sept. First victim found near the R21 'in Rhodesfield', bound with cable ties; arrest on 17 July (reportedly her partner). Notes all five were Black women in their thirties. Author: Reitumetse Pilane.
14 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenWATCH: Kempton Park residents picket as fifth body of woman foundFifth body: Olifantsfontein, roadside on the R21 near the old Comair aviation training centre, found Monday morning by a passer-by walking to work; Brig. Mathe: possibly dumped Sunday night, Monday morning. Two victims unidentified. Community picket (Girl2Woman Foundation's Lumka Maqubela) asking why no warning after body 2.
14 Sept 2026newsSA PeopleFears of another serial killer grow after fifth body found in GautengConfirms investigation lead (Maj-Gen Mbuso Khumalo) and unit composition (Murder and Robbery Unit + Investigative Psychology Unit); repeats tip-line number.
14 Sept 2026officialSAnews (government news agency)Police probe Kempton Park murders, calls for cautionGovernment-agency version of the SAPS statement: four bodies in ~2 months in the Rhodesfield area, latest Saturday evening; task team on Lt-Gen Dimpane's instruction; safety advice; W/O Manyike 082 465 7249; MySAPS app.
14 Sept 2026ngoSonke Gender JusticeSonke condemns the killings of five women in Kempton Park, demands urgent action and victim-centred justiceCivil-society response; useful for the 'community' side of the record.
14 Sept 2026newsIOL / The Star'Why only now?' Activists question warning after four women die in Kempton ParkWomen For Change founder Sabrina Walter and SA Men's Forum's Mbuyiselo Botha criticise the delayed warning; Deputy Minister Mmapaseka Steve Letsike: warnings must not 'place the burden of preventing violence on potential victims'. Authors: Anita Nkonki, Masabata Mkwananzi.
14 Sept 2026newseNCA'One death is too many': Kempton Park running community demands actionRunning With Sole founder Tumi Sole: a warning should have been sent out earlier; residents gathered outside the police station.
14 Sept 2026newsSABC NewsPolice rule out serial killer theory in Kempton Park murdersBrig. Athlenda Mathe: 'nothing tells us that we've got a serial killer'; 'our focus is shifting to the three; are they connected, are there linkages?', i.e. with an arrest made for the July death, the linkage question is about #2, #3 and #4. Similar bruising/injury patterns acknowledged. (Said when four bodies were known, before #5 and #6.)
14 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenMore than one killer? New theory emerges in Kempton Park murdersSources close to the investigation: the cases 'did not all share the same modus operandi'. Kempton Park station commander: insufficient evidence to conclude a serial killer. Acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane: 'We will not rest until we have established the truth.'
14 Sept 2026newsEWNKempton Park serial killer? A forensic expert weighs inDr Micki Pistorius (SA's first police profiler): police have expressed suspicion, not confirmation; linkage turns on victim profile, geography and above all 'a signature on the crime scene', plus DNA and pathology; 'give them a little time and they'll get there'.
14 Sept 2026newsBriefly.co.zaPolice rule out serial killer after 4 women's bodies found near Kempton Park's R21Mathe: 'current intelligence refutes claims of an active serial offender'; task team with the IPU still analysing links between cases.
15 Sept 2026newsThe WitnessSerial killer fears grip Gauteng as profiler urges specialist probeDr Gerard Labuschagne (former head of the SAPS Investigative Psychology Unit) calls for detectives with serial-murder training; lists what to examine first (victimology, cause of death, geography, forensics). Confirms Olifantsfontein is ~20 km from Kempton Park and that the IPU is analysing evidence. Notes one person remains in custody for the first death.
15 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarKempton Park killings: sixth woman's body found in SpringsSixth body: roadside in KwaThema, Springs, Tuesday morning; Col. Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi: 'active scene'. Deputy National Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili: 'Your days are numbered'; 72-hour activation with multiple units. Recap gives Ms Moselakgomo's discovery as 13 Sept (other outlets: 12 Sept). Author: Brandon Nel.
15 Sept 2026newsEWNSixth body of a woman found in EkurhuleniKwaThema discovery Tuesday morning; police have NOT confirmed a link; Lt-Gen Mosikili: investigators 'piecing together evidence to determine whether the deaths are linked'. Explicitly says few details are available.
15 Sept 2026newsSowetan'Women deserve to feel safe': running clubs mourn Elizabeth MoselakgomoAthletics South Africa statement; tribute runs by Team Vitality Running Club (her club), Waterfall City AC and Run Alex AC; Running With Sole and The Original Mambas AC demand police visibility, working street lighting, safer routes and direct engagement with runners.
15 Sept 2026newsTimesLIVEBREAKING | Number of female bodies discovered has risen to 7Acting Gauteng commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana, at the KwaThema scene: 'on September 7 the body of a female in her late 20s was observed in a river in Clayville', now included in the investigation. Count is seven. Published 15:11.
15 Sept 2026newsEWNEkurhuleni women murders: forensic teams process scene after latest body discoveryKwaThema body: roadside, decomposed, police estimate about 35; DNA samples taken for identification; no confirmation of a link to the other five. Cachalia calls for an urgent, coordinated investigation and a meeting with Dimpane.
15 Sept 2026newseNCAEkurhuleni killings: police urge patience as probe widensMathe: 'still not yet there'; experts analysing dockets, victim profiles and behaviour; 'whether we are dealing with one suspect or a group of men'; pressure could mean 'we might arrest the wrong people'. KwaThema body in advanced decomposition, woman believed in her 30s. Task team to get more specialised personnel.
15 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarSexual molestation of four women revealed as SAPS, Ekurhuleni intensify operationsReports Lt-Gen Mosikili as saying four of the five women found by 14 Sept had been sexually molested; one body too decomposed to tell. 17 women reported missing in the area since January, 13 located. Joint SAPS/EMPD patrols on transport nodes, pedestrian routes, parks, waterways, open spaces; a multi-departmental safety assessment of streetlights, vegetation and abandoned buildings.
15 Sept 2026newsEWNEkurhuleni murders: families of 3 missing women urged to come forwardGauteng Health (Steve Mabona): families who believe a missing relative may be among the three unidentified women should approach the Germiston Forensic Pathology Service. 17 women reported missing in Kempton Park since January; 13 reunited; 4 unaccounted for. DNA analysis under way.
15 Sept 2026newsTimesLIVETwo mothers fear one of their missing daughters may be KwaThema victimTwo families came forward at the KwaThema scene: Palesa Ngake (missing about a month; short, has a tattoo) and Nomandi Nakhi (35, missing since Friday). Mathe: police need the public's 'eyes and ears'.
15 Sept 2026newsTimesLIVEMayor makes 'crisis' call after latest Ekurhuleni killingKwaThema body found behind KwaThema Centre. Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza: 'crisis point'; 'we must cut the grass, ensure that the city is lit'; city cameras available to investigators; working with CPFs. EMPD chief Jabulani Mapiyeye: more officers and resources.
15 Sept 2026newsTimesLIVEFiroz Cachalia to meet, offer help to Kempton Park detective teamActing Minister of Police meets the investigating team on Tuesday afternoon to assess progress, evidence and resources; 'the possibility a perpetrator or perpetrators may be targeting women demands our urgent and determined attention'.
15 Sept 2026officialTimesLIVE'No stone will be left unturned' in probe into Kempton Park women killings: RamaphosaPresident Ramaphosa, via spokesperson Vincent Magwenya after a police briefing: cases prioritised, 'no stone be left unturned'; police depend on citizens 'for any information that may help end these attacks on women'.
15 Sept 2026newseNCAHigh-level delegation meets over discovery of seven women's bodies in GautengThe meeting at the SAPS Gauteng provincial office in Parktown: acting Police Minister Cachalia, Women Minister Chikunga, Deputy Police Minister Boshielo, Premier Lesufi, acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane. Places the seventh body (7 Sept) 'floating in a river in Clayville, near the Mall of Tembisa'; the sixth (KwaThema) a woman believed in her 30s, advanced decomposition. Published 19:15, before the eighth body was announced.
15 Sept 2026newsBriefly.co.zaActing Police Minister Firoz Cachalia confirms eighth woman's body found dumped in EkurhuleniAt the briefing after the Parktown meeting, Cachalia confirmed an eighth woman's body and deferred detail to Lt-Gen Dimpane, who said it was recovered from a river in Olifantsfontein and gave nothing else, including when it was found. Published 20:47.
15 Sept 2026newsThe WitnessBREAKING NEWS: Eighth woman's body found in EkurhuleniCachalia confirmed the eighth body on Tuesday evening, 'discovered in Olifantsfontein', after the high-level meeting in Parktown. Quotes: 'The death of these eight women in these circumstances is a reminder to us that we live in a society where women feel unsafe'; 'The thought that someone can go out for a run to participate in a happy event and never return home is too unbearable to think about.' Published 20:58.
15 Sept 2026newsIOLUPDATED MAP: Where the 6th and 7th bodies were found in Kempton Park killings sagaActing Gauteng commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana, at the KwaThema scene: a preliminary report showed the woman found in KwaThema appeared to have been strangled to death (reported wording), followed by his direct quote that 'post-mortem will be done first thing tomorrow morning'. Also: the Clayville woman was found half naked in a river and police are going through the processes to identify her. Author: Sihle Mlambo. Published 15 September (page metadata 15:35, page later updated).
15 Sept 2026newsDaily MaverickSAPS expands investigation of women killed in Ekurhuleni to sevenKekana at the KwaThema scene: 'preliminary findings from pathologists indicated that the woman found in KwaThema on Tuesday morning had suffered strangulation' (reported wording); the Clayville woman, believed to be in her late twenties, was found in a river next to Thembisa Mall on 7 September, mostly without clothing, and he cautioned against speculation about how her clothing went missing; police went back to records at various stations after noticing an increase in reports of bodies being dumped. Also reports that pathologists found no visible wounds or injuries on the woman found at Olifantsfontein on Monday, and that full post-mortem examinations were still under way with findings not yet released. Author: Reitumetse Pilane. Published 14:18, updated 17:06.
15 Sept 2026newsEWNPolice Ministry offers R400,000 reward as 8th woman's body found in EkurhuleniReports that the Police Ministry is offering a R400,000 reward for information that may lead to arrests, after police leadership briefed the media on Tuesday night on the discoveries, including the eighth body. Gives no terms for the reward and no number to call; its standfirst describes the KwaThema woman, about 35 and not yet identified, as the latest discovery. Author: Mongezi Koko. Page timestamp 19:32, earlier than the briefing it reports, so the page was presumably updated.
15 Sept 2026newsMail & GuardianPolice confirm recovery of eighth body in EkurhuleniReports that SAPS has offered a R400,000 reward for information leading to a breakthrough, and reports acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane as saying one person has been arrested and another is being sought in connection with the cases (reported wording; no other outlet carried that remark). Quotes Cachalia: 'I want to give the people of Ekurhuleni and the families the assurance that we will leave no stone unturned to bring the culprits to book.' States that police have not released where or when the eighth body was found or whether the woman has been identified. Author: Hasina Kathrada. Published 20:57.
15 Sept 2026officialSAnews (government news agency)High-level team formed to tackle Ekurhuleni murdersThe government news agency's account of Tuesday night's briefing, and the first official statement of the reward's terms: police are offering a R400,000 reward 'for any information that could lead to the arrest of any perpetrator or perpetrators', and anyone with information, or who is missing a relative or friend, should contact Warrant Officer Elvis Manyike on 082 465 7249. Police will 'massively expand' visibility through Operation Shanela in Kempton Park and the surrounding areas. Cachalia: 'The police will lock down this area in the coming weeks'; he also cautioned against rumour and speculation on social media. Counts eight bodies. Published 21:12.
15 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenEighth woman's body found in Ekurhuleni as R400 000 reward offeredReports the reward as R400,000 offered by the police 'for information that could lead to a breakthrough in the investigation', and that police will expand visibility in Kempton Park and surrounding areas through Operation Shanela. Quotes Lt-Gen Dimpane on identifying the victims and Cachalia on the runner who never returned home. Its sentence placing the eighth body in a river at Olifantsfontein near Tembisa Mall on 7 September was first read here as a conflation with the Clayville discovery; Daily Maverick's account of 16 September also gives 7 September for the eighth body, so the date is now recorded as reported by two outlets, not confirmed by SAPS. Author: Chulumanco Mahamba. Published 22:45.
15 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenWoman kidnapped and raped in Kempton Park after calling Uber: no positive link to murdersKempton Park SAPS spokesperson Dipuo Ditshego: a 34-year-old woman who disappeared after lunch at Mosquito Park in Kempton Park last week reported being kidnapped and raped after getting into a vehicle she believed was the e-hailing ride she had ordered; police have opened cases of kidnapping and rape, have approached the e-hailing company, and 'could not at this stage directly link the woman's ordeal to the recent murders around Kempton Park' (reported wording). Appeal: Kempton Park SAPS 011 393 8600 or the MySAPS app. Author: Hein Kaiser. Published 16:24.
15 Sept 2026newsBriefly.co.zaKempton Park woman kidnapped and raped after boarding fake e-hailing vehicleReports Ditshego as confirming that investigators have formally requested trip logs, driver information and vehicle registration data from the ride-hailing platform, that no arrests have been made, and that it is too early to conclusively link the incident to the deaths, though investigators are reviewing possible operational similarities between the cases (reported wording). Author: Tebogo Mokwena. Published 21:08.
15 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenKempton Park kidnapping survivor 'could hold clues' to other women's murdersEarlier report on the same case, from the morning of 15 September: the woman had been reported missing and returned alive, presenting at Tembisa South police station. Ditshego: 'Currently, we don't have the description of the vehicle as the investigation is still premature', and the case 'is being dealt with by the national [and] provincial office'. Author: Hein Kaiser. Published 09:36.
15 Sept 2026newsSowetanEkurhuleni killings: family's shock at learning their daughter was a victimThe family of Itumeleng Kekana, 32, originally from Qwa Qwa, identify her as the second woman found dead, on 3 August near a river along the R21, 17 days after she disappeared in Kempton Park on 17 July; they told the paper she could be identified only from her body size, complexion and dyed hair. National spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe confirmed to Sowetan that she was among the women whose bodies were recently discovered in the Kempton Park area. Author: Herman Moloi. Published 18:12.
16 Sept 2026newsDaily MaverickEkurhuleni under lockdown: Police launch manhunt in Kempton Park after eighth murder victim foundThe fullest account so far of Tuesday night's briefing and of the eight cases. Reports that the eighth body, which acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane confirmed on Tuesday evening, 'was found on 7 September in Olifantsfontein', and quotes her: 'So we might have missed this particular case when we did our numbers. It was picked up today.' Its case list also gives street-level locations for three earlier discoveries: the woman found on 10 September was near Voortrekker Road at the R21 crossing, around 10:20am; the Olifantsfontein roadside discovery of 14 September was on Porcelain Avenue; and the KwaThema woman was found behind Club 69. Author: Reitumetse Pilane. Published 03:20 on 16 September.
16 Sept 2026newsNovanewsEight women dead in Ekurhuleni as SAPS corrects case countCorroborates Daily Maverick's account: reports that the body found on 7 September in Olifantsfontein was initially overlooked when the cases were tallied, and quotes Lt-Gen Dimpane in slightly different wording: 'We might have missed this particular case when we did the numbers.' Also carries Cachalia's 'lock down this area' remark. Author: Maryke Swart. Published early on 16 September, time not shown.
16 Sept 2026newsEWNEkurhuleni murders: 2 of out 8 women's bodies positively identifiedWednesday morning account of Tuesday night's briefing: of the eight women now included in the investigation, only two have been formally identified, and one person has been arrested in connection with one of the cases. Quotes acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia: 'At this stage, it is premature to speculate on patterns. These appear to be quite distinct, separate events.' Its sentence placing the eighth body in a stream in Clayville on 7 September describes the seventh discovery. Author: Mongezi Koko. Published 04:42.
16 Sept 2026newsThe WitnessPolice offer R400 000 reward to help solve Ekurhuleni women's deathsWednesday morning account of Tuesday night's briefing, and the first report to carry acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane's own words on where the eighth body was found: 'The eighth victim was picked up from Olifantsfontein; this particular victim was found or discovered at Clayville River opposite Thembisa Mall' (the paper's text spells the first place 'Oliefantsfontein'). That is the same river and landmark Maj-Gen Fred Kekana gave on Tuesday afternoon for the seventh woman. Also reports the R400,000 reward, the high-level multidisciplinary team, Operation Shanela in Kempton Park, that only two of the eight women have been identified, and that President Ramaphosa has declared the deaths a national crisis. Author: Nompilo Kunene. Published 08:19.
16 Sept 2026newsIOLR400,000 reward offered: What we know about eight women found dead in GautengCase-by-case recap published on Wednesday morning, with direct quotes from Lt-Gen Dimpane at Tuesday night's briefing: on the July case, 'We successfully investigated that case and there is a person behind bars in terms of that'; on the person police are pursuing, 'It is for one case'; her appeal to families around the area to come forward if a relative cannot be accounted for; and on the reward, 'there is R400,000 that we are putting on the table so that we are able to strengthen our investigations'. Lists both the seventh and the eighth discoveries under 7 September at Olifantsfontein and Clayville. Author: Simon Majadibodu. Published 07:43.
16 Sept 2026newsEWNPolice pursuing person of interest linked to murders of 8 women in EkurhuleniCorroborates the Mail & Guardian's report from Tuesday night's briefing with a direct quote from Lt-Gen Dimpane: 'Since the discovery, we do have one arrest and one person we are pursuing.' Reports that police have not said who the person is or which case the pursuit relates to, that the July arrest stands, that two of the eight women have been identified, and that police have not confirmed whether the cases are linked. Author: Mongezi Koko. Published 05:51.
16 Sept 2026newsEWNNW cops dismiss claims of suspect linked to Ekurhuleni murders is in PotchefstroomNorth West police on a message circulating on social media about a suspect being in Potchefstroom: SAPS said it had found no official report or complaint confirming it, spokesperson Adéle Myburgh said false information could compromise the investigations, and the public was urged not to treat the message as an official SAPS alert unless SAPS confirms it. Used only for the fact of the denial. Author: Mongezi Koko. Published 07:04.
16 Sept 2026newsIOLTracking the Kempton Park Killings | Where the eight bodies have been foundCase by case tracker published on Wednesday. It is the first report on this record to name a commander for the task team: 'Dimpane has ordered a task team to lead investigations into the Kempton Park murders. The team will include detectives from specialised units, including the Murder and Robbery Unit and the Investigative Psychology Unit. Gauteng Deputy Provincial Commissioner Major-General Mbuso Khumalo has been appointed to lead the investigations.' It also gives the river in which the seventh woman was found as the Kaalspruit, which runs behind the Mall of Thembisa ('Police said the body had been found in the Kaalspruit River, which runs behind the Mall of Thembisa'), and it attributes the preliminary strangulation finding to the woman found at KwaThema, as this record already has it. Author: Sihle Mlambo. The page showed it as published about four hours before this check at 17:45 on 16 September, so early afternoon.
16 Sept 2026newseNCAAnother family identifies woman's body in Ekurhuleni murdersPublished at 20:40 on Wednesday 16 September. It is the first report on this record that the woman found beside the road in KwaThema, Springs, on Tuesday was identified by her family, as Dineo Evelyn Motapane, at the Springs Mortuary on Wednesday afternoon. It adds that police said she was last seen alive on Sunday and that her family had not reported her missing at the time her body was found, and it carries a police line that a multidisciplinary team of investigators and specialists is working around the clock on each case.
16 Sept 2026newsIOLKwaThema body: Another victim identified as police probe murders of eight womenPublished on Wednesday evening, 16 September, within the hour before this check at 21:40. It carries the same identification as eNCA and adds the age, 38, and the count: it treats Dineo Evelyn Motapane as the third of the eight women to be identified, after Itumeleng Kekana and Elizabeth Moselakgomo, with five still unidentified. It attributes to acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane the statement about the multidisciplinary team, and repeats that her body was found on 15 September in KwaThema in an advanced state of decomposition.
16 Sept 2026newsBriefly.co.zaKempton Park police lockdown set to begin as hunt for 8 women's killers intensifiesPublished at 20:37 on Wednesday 16 September. It quotes Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi saying ministerial approval has been granted to lock down Kempton Park and surrounding areas from Thursday 17 September, and that investigators have told the province a breakthrough is imminent. It gives no operational detail of the lockdown, and repeats the count of eight bodies and the R400,000 reward.
16 Sept 2026newseNCAFamilies urged to check Germiston mortuaryPublished at 16:38 on Wednesday 16 September. It carries acting Gauteng provincial commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana appealing to families across Gauteng, naming Pretoria, the West Rand and Sedibeng, to go to the government mortuary in Germiston if they have lost contact with a female relative in her late 20s to early 30s. It is the first report on this record in which SAPS gives an age range for the unidentified women and directs families from outside Ekurhuleni; at the time it was published it gives six of the eight women as unidentified and two as identified, and it carries no statement on linking the cases or on post-mortem findings.
17 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarBREAKING | Ninth body found in Dawn Park, EkurhuleniPublished on Thursday morning 17 September, by Brandon Nel; IOL showed it as twenty minutes old when this record checked it at 08:40, so about 08:20. It is the first report of a ninth body: acting Gauteng provincial commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana told reporters on Thursday that a woman's remains were found in Dawn Park, Ekurhuleni, and that preliminary investigations indicated the remains had been dumped there. It gives no name, no age, no time of discovery and no cause of death, and says authorities are still examining whether the killings are connected.
17 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenBREAKING: Ninth body of woman found in Dawn Park, EkurhuleniPublished at 08:31 on Thursday morning 17 September. It is the second outlet on this record to carry the ninth body, and the first to describe the body: The Citizen says the woman was found semi naked and wrapped in a sheet in Dawn Park. It attributes to Maj-Gen Fred Kekana the preliminary indication that the body was dumped at the scene, paraphrased rather than quoted, and sets out the geography as five women in Kempton Park, two in Olifantsfontein, one in KwaThema and now one in Dawn Park. It gives no name, no age, no time of discovery and no cause of death, and notes the R400 000 police reward alongside a R500 000 offer from the DA.
17 Sept 2026newseNCANinth woman's body found in Ekurhuleni's Dawn ParkPublished at 08:35 on Thursday morning 17 September. It is the third outlet on this record to carry the ninth body and it agrees with The Citizen on the condition: eNCA says the woman was found half naked and wrapped in a sheet on the side of the road in Dawn Park. It names no police official and quotes none, marks the report a developing story, and gives no name, no age, no time of discovery and no cause of death.
17 Sept 2026newsThe WitnessBREAKING NEWS | Ninth body found in Ekurhuleni, GautengPublished at 09:03 on Thursday morning 17 September. It carries acting Gauteng provincial commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana on the Dawn Park body in verbatim form, where IOL and The Citizen gave only reported wording, and it is the first report on this record to put an age on the woman: it describes her as estimated to be in her 30s and not identified. It adds that a passer-by found the body, repeats the R400,000 reward and a heightened police presence planned for Kempton Park and surrounding areas, and says police have not confirmed any connection between this death and the other eight.
17 Sept 2026newsNews24East Rand killings: Police confirm ninth woman's body found in Dawn ParkPublished at 08:45 on Thursday morning 17 September and updated at 11:14. It attributes to police, without naming an officer, that the body is that of a black woman of around 30 years of age, which agrees with The Witness on her approximate age. It describes her as found face down in a blue T-shirt and pink underwear, and it is the only outlet so far to name a street, Lama Street in Dawn Park, Boksburg. It reports no arrest, no cause of death and no police statement linking this death to the other eight.
17 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarTracking the Kempton Park Killings | Where the 9 bodies have been foundPublished at about midday on Thursday 17 September, by Sihle Mlambo. It is the first source on this record to report that SAPS has engaged the Director General of the State Security Agency on this investigation, and it carries a direct quotation from Deputy National Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili in which she describes police as working three separate areas, Dawn Park, Kempton Park and others. It also gives discovery dates for the earlier bodies that differ in places from the dates already on this record, and it reports, without attributing it to police or to a family, an early indication that a family member has identified the woman found in Dawn Park.
17 Sept 2026officialSAnews (government news agency)Police discover ninth body in Dawn ParkPublished 11:00 on Thursday 17 September and updated at 11:47, this is the first official statement on this record to cover the ninth discovery, which until now rested on news reports alone. It carries the SAPS line that a multidisciplinary team of experts has been mobilised, a direct quote from Acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane that investigations into the murders of the eight women are being intensified, and the official confirmation that the woman found in KwaThema was identified by her family at the Springs Mortuary on Wednesday as Dineo Evelyn Motapane, 38. It repeats the Crime Stop and MySAPS appeal and says additional officers have been deployed to increase patrols.
17 Sept 2026newsSowetanOperation Shanela intensified in Kempton Park after women's bodies foundPublished at 17:00 on Thursday 17 September, and the first account on this record of what the intensified Operation Shanela has produced. Acting Gauteng provincial commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana is reported as saying operations were intensified in Kempton Park on Wednesday and Thursday, with 1,007 arrests across Gauteng province, among them 16 for murder, 11 for attempted murder, 18 for armed robbery, 28 for rape, five for sexual assault, 12 for kidnapping, more than 500 for assault related offences and 211 in gender-based violence cases. The report does not connect any of those arrests to the nine deaths, and it carries Kekana as saying police had not established that all the cases were connected, although there were similarities in some of them. Carried on Sowetan with a TimesLIVE byline.
17 Sept 2026newsTimesLIVELesufi tells SA to 'be patient' as police make progress in Ekurhuleni killingsPublished at 17:33 on Thursday 17 September, the latest official comment on this record. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi asks the public for patience, says he has trust in the law enforcement agencies and that two or three of the cases are going to get results, and gives as the reason no one has been arrested that the evidence has to be concretised first. The same report says the multidisciplinary team is following leads beyond Gauteng, and that Maj-Gen Fred Kekana said investigators had identified possible connections between some of the cases, with further forensic work required before any link can be confirmed. It counts nine bodies and reports no cause of death.
17 Sept 2026newsSowetanKempton Park murders: family identifies third victimPublished at 19:11 on Thursday 17 September, the latest item on this record. Reports that the woman whose body was found along the R21 in Kempton Park on 10 September has been identified by her family as Gracious Nkomo, 28, and attributes the detail to national SAPS spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe, who describes the body as found partially clothed. Carries acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane saying police will continue to pursue every available lead, and reports no arrest and no cause of death.
17 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarFamily identifies 28-year-old Gracious Nkomo as third victim found in Kempton ParkPublished on the evening of Thursday 17 September. Adds the place of the identification: Brig Athlenda Mathe is reported as saying the family positively identified Gracious Nkomo at the Germiston Mortuary on Thursday, and that her body was discovered partially clothed along the R21 in Kempton Park on 10 September. Quotes acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane in full offering condolences to her family. Counts nine bodies and says three have been identified, and reports no cause of death and no arrest in her case.
17 Sept 2026newsEWNFamily identifies third woman found along R21 in Kempton ParkPublished at 16:31 on Thursday 17 September by Mongezi Koko. Gives the same identification, Gracious Nkomo, 28, identified by her family at the Germiston Mortuary on Thursday, for the woman found partially clothed along the R21 on 10 September. Differs from IOL on the running total of identifications: EWN says four of the nine women have been formally identified where IOL says three. Reports acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane saying a multidisciplinary team is working around the clock, and gives no cause of death.
17 Sept 2026newseNCAEkurhuleni Murders | Police cannot take DA 'reward' money - MosikiliPublished at 10:17 on Thursday 17 September. It is the first report on this record of the official police position on the Democratic Alliance's offer to add R500,000 to the reward in these cases: Deputy National Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili says the party's money cannot be combined with the police reward and that only the state can proclaim one. It confirms that the official police reward remains the R400,000 announced by acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane, gives the party figure as R500,000 announced by its Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, and reports Col Obed Mashalane of Kempton Park confirming that informants may remain anonymous.
17 Sept 2026newsIOLDA's R500,000 crime reward raises questions as police say they were not consultedPublished on Thursday 17 September by Simon Majadibodu. It is the second outlet on this record to carry the official police position on the party reward, and the one that quotes Deputy National Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili at length: police were not consulted, do not know the conditions attached to the offer, and run an established reward process in which a committee evaluates the information given before any money is paid. It gives the official police reward as the R400,000 announced by acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane, and counts nine women found dead in nine weeks, three of them identified, with one arrest, in the first case.
17 Sept 2026newsEWNPolice rope in Home Affairs to help identify slain women in EkurhuleniPublished at 11:59 on Thursday 17 September by Mongezi Koko. It is the only report on this record that the South African Police Service has brought the Department of Home Affairs into the investigation, and it quotes acting Gauteng provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana naming the Home Affairs officials who have joined the operation. It reports that police are using fingerprint records and other biometric data to identify the dead women and to establish possible connections between the cases, and it gives the count as nine women found across the East Rand since July.
18 Sept 2026newsEWNVarious demonstrations condemning Ekurhuleni murders happening countrywidePublished at 08:07 on Friday 18 September by Nkosikhona Malinga-Mnisi. It is the first report on this record in which police are said to have found possible links between some of the cases, given the similarities, although no officer is named and no written SAPS statement says so. It also gives the number of women confirmed by their families as four of the nine, carries the appeal for anyone in the metro with a missing loved one to come forward so that all nine can be named, with the Department of Home Affairs assisting, and reports a meeting between national police management and directors general in Pretoria on Thursday night.
18 Sept 2026officialSAnews (government news agency)Third Ekurhuleni murder victim identifiedPublished at 09:42 on Friday 18 September and updated at 10:42. It is the official statement on the identification of Gracious Nkomo, 28, reporting that the South African Police Service said on Thursday evening that her family positively identified her at the Germiston Mortuary, that her body was found on 10 September 2026 along the R21 in Kempton Park, that she was found partially clothed and that she is the third woman who was discovered, while the headline calls her the third victim identified. It also reports that a multidisciplinary team of investigators is working around the clock, that Kempton Park remains under intensified policing operations, and it republishes President Cyril Ramaphosa's appeal from his statement on Tuesday giving Warrant Officer Elvis Manyike on 082 465 7249 as the contact for information or for anyone missing a relative or friend.
18 Sept 2026officialSAnews (government news agency)Government vows tougher action against GBVFPublished at 10:57 on Friday 18 September and updated at 12:31. It is the official account of the Memorial Dialogue against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide held at the Civic Centre in Kempton Park on Thursday 17 September, and it carries the first official figure on this record for how many of the nine women are still unnamed, reporting that Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga appealed to the public with information about missing relatives or friends to assist in identifying the remaining six unidentified bodies. It also reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed that the Kempton Park cases be prioritised and carries his message as delivered by Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia.
18 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenEkurhuleni killings: Police warn public not to circulate fake suspect photosPublished at 21:40 on Friday 18 September by Chulumanco Mahamba. It carries the wording of a SAPS statement issued that day in which the police service says it has not issued any identikit, wanted poster or photograph of a suspect in these cases, and asks the public not to share unverified information because innocent people could be wrongly identified, harassed or targeted. It gives the count as nine women and reports no arrest, no identification and no cause of death.
18 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarSAPS warns public against sharing unverified images linked to Kempton Park killingsPublished on the evening of Friday 18 September by Yasmine Jacobs. It carries the same SAPS statement, wording the key line as no identikit, wanted poster or photograph of a suspect or suspects in connection with these cases, and reports that police would communicate through official platforms if public assistance became necessary. It gives the count as nine and says at least four of the women have been positively identified by their families.
18 Sept 2026newsBriefly.co.zaSAPS warns against sharing fake Ekurhuleni murder suspect photos as public calls for actionPublished at 21:31 on Friday 18 September by Byron Pillay. It is the only report found for this record that names the officer behind the statement, attributing it to SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe and dating the statement to 18 September. It gives the count as nine women found across Ekurhuleni over about two months and reports no arrest, no suspect identification and no cause of death.
18 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarNinth woman's body found in Dawn Park as police probe possible linksDated Friday 18 September; no exact publication time is shown on the page. It describes the woman found in Dawn Park as having a stab wound and what appeared to be a slit throat, in the reporter's own words and not attributed to any named officer. It quotes acting Gauteng provincial commissioner Major-General Fred Kekana saying of her identity, 'For now she is unknown,' and reports preliminary information that she was killed elsewhere before her body was dumped in Dawn Park.
19 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenMissing woman found! Not the ninth victim of 'Ekurhuleni serial killer'Published at 15:03 on Saturday 19 September. It reports that a 24 year old woman from Vosloorus who had been reported missing this week, and who had been taken to be the woman found dead in Dawn Park, is alive and has come forward, and that her family's identification of a body at the state mortuary was wrong. It states that the ninth body is now unidentified, and it carries no comment from SAPS on the mix-up and no named police officer.
19 Sept 2026newsThe WitnessNine women. Seven locations. One question: Are the killings connected? Experts weigh inPublished at 07:50 on Saturday 19 September, bylined Londiwe Xulu. It reports acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane as confirming that a multidisciplinary team of investigators and specialists is working around the clock to establish the circumstances surrounding each death and identify those responsible but that, for now, the nine deaths remain individual cases, which is the first report on this record of SAPS describing the nine deaths in those terms. It also reports the acting Gauteng police commissioner, whose first name it gives as Frank where this record has carried him as Fred, saying that the ninth woman's throat appeared to have been slit, that her exact cause of death would have to be established through forensic examination, and that preliminary information indicated her body had been dumped at the location. The article does not say when or where either official spoke, and the expert commentary it carries is not recorded on this site.
20 Sept 2026newsTimesLIVEWATCH | Khumalo and Mkhwanazi to join Ekurhuleni murder investigationsPublished at 17:21 on Sunday 20 September, bylined TimesLIVE, a short report carrying video of a media briefing. It reports Acting Police Minister Prof Firoz Cachalia announcing that Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi have been brought in to assist the Ekurhuleni murder investigations, which is the first change to the investigating team on this record since the multidisciplinary team was announced on 15 September. The written report carries no direct quotes from the minister, counts nine women found dead, and gives nothing on cause of death, identifications or any police finding that the deaths are linked.
20 Sept 2026newsSowetanCachalia strengthens police team hunting down women killer(s)Published at 19:04 on Sunday 20 September, bylined Herman Moloi, reporting a media briefing by the Acting Minister of Police. It is the first report on this record to say that police have positively identified seven of the nine women found in Ekurhuleni over the past two months, and it names six of them, two of whom are new to this record. It also sets out the strengthened investigating team, naming Lt-Gen Hilda Senthumule, divisional commissioner for detective and forensic services, as its head, assisted by Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, where Maj-Gen Fred Kekana had led the investigations, and it carries the contact numbers for information. It gives no cause of death, says nothing about which woman was found where, and reports no police finding that the deaths are linked.
20 Sept 2026newsTimesLIVECachalia brings in police top brass to hunt down women killer(s)Published at 19:16 on Sunday 20 September, bylined Herman Moloi, carrying the same report of the Acting Minister's media briefing as the Sowetan piece of 19:04. It is used here as the second outlet for the line that police have positively identified seven of the nine women, for the six names published, for the statement that police are still working to inform the family of the seventh woman identified, and for the make up of the strengthened investigating team. It carries the minister saying he is confident the investigation will be concluded successfully, and the appeal for information attributed to Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga.
20 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarKempton Park killings: Mkhwanazi joins investigationPublished at about 18:50 on Sunday 20 September, bylined Sinenhlanhla Masilela, a third report of the same media briefing. It is the only one of the three found for this record that quotes the Acting Minister directly on the change to the team, and the only one to report him confirming increased police deployments in parts of Ekurhuleni, including KwaThema, Nigel and Dawn Park. It gives the new team head's surname as Sentamule where Sowetan and TimesLIVE give Senthumule, and it publishes no names of the dead and no count of how many have been identified. The headline as published is longer than the form carried here.
20 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenCachalia: We can't confirm conclusively that we are dealing with a serial killer in Kempton ParkPublished at 15:54 on Sunday 20 September, bylined Kyle Zeeman, news editor. It is the first report found for this record in which the Acting Minister of Police is quoted directly on whether the deaths are linked, saying the cases are not necessarily linked and that there is some indication of different modus operandi and motives, while nothing has yet been excluded. It also reports the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities as saying that of the nine bodies only one had not yet been identified, a figure that does not match the seven identified reported from the same Sunday briefing by Sowetan and TimesLIVE that evening.
20 Sept 2026newsEWNEkurhuleni murders: Three persons of interest taken in for questioningPublished at 15:05 on Sunday 20 September, bylined Alpha Ramushwana. It is the first report on this record that quotes the Acting Minister of Police directly saying that three persons of interest have been called in for questioning. It reports no arrest, no release and nothing about the three people.
20 Sept 2026newsBriefly.co.zaGenerals Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and Dumisani Khumalo join Ekurhuleni murder probe, 3 suspects questionedPublished at 18:51 on Sunday 20 September, bylined Byron Pillay. It reports the Acting Minister of Police as confirming that three people had been taken in for questioning in connection with the killings, alongside the two national officers joining the investigation. It mentions no arrest and gives no detail about the three people.
20 Sept 2026officialSAnews (government news agency)Government intensifies work to bring justice for murdered Ekurhuleni womenPublished at 16:02 on Sunday 20 September. It is the government's account of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, which it says met on Thursday to receive a briefing from NATJOINTS, and it reports that the specialised team investigating the murders has been elevated to be coordinated by the Deputy National Commissioner: Detective Services, and that one of the nine recovered bodies remains with no missing person case reported. It carries the committee's appeal, through co-chairperson Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, for people to check on female relatives in and around Kempton Park, KwaThema and Tembisa, and says the committee approved a Comprehensive Emergency Strategy.
21 Sept 2026newsTimesLIVEThree people arrested over woman found murdered in Dawn ParkPublished at 07:23 on Monday 21 September. It reports that three people were arrested over the weekend in connection with the murder of the woman whose body was found in Dawn Park, Boksburg, on 17 September, and that they were expected in the Boksburg magistrate's court on Monday. It carries the full quote from Acting National Commissioner Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane.
21 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarBREAKING | Three arrested for murder of woman found dead in Dawn Park, GautengPublished early on Monday 21 September, bylined Jolene Marriah-Maharaj and Simon Majadibodu. It attributes the arrests to the Gauteng Murder and Robbery Unit through national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, gives the charge as murder with a court appearance expected at the Boksburg Magistrate's Court, and says the woman has not been publicly identified.
21 Sept 2026newseNCAThree arrested in connection with Dawn Park murderPublished at 06:40 on Monday 21 September. It reports the three arrests in the Dawn Park case and a court appearance expected at the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Monday 21 September, and quotes Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane. It does not report any police statement linking the arrests to the other cases.
21 Sept 2026newsSowetanPolice link woman's death to love trianglePublished at 13:10 on Monday 21 September, bylined Michelle Banda. It names the ninth woman as Jabulile Ntimba, found at a development site in Villa Liza, and quotes Deputy National Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili saying police are not dismissing links to the other cases but that this case appears to have a motive of its own. It also writes, in its own words, that police have ruled out serial killer involvement in her death.
21 Sept 2026newsBriefly.co.zaJabulile Ntimba Murder Linked to Love Triangle, 3 Suspects to Appear in Boksburg CourtPublished at 12:19 on Monday 21 September, bylined Tebogo Mokwena. It says Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili addressed the media in Ekurhuleni on 21 September, names the woman found on 17 September as Jabulile Ntimba, and places her in Villa Liza, Boksburg. It reports no cause of death and no court outcome.
21 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarAnticipation builds as three suspects set to appear over ninth Ekurhuleni killingPublished around midday on Monday 21 September, bylined Simon Majadibodu. It names the ninth woman as Jabulile Ntimba, about 30, found on 17 September in an open area on Lama Street in Villa Lisa, Dawn Park, and gives police as saying she had a fatal throat injury. It gives 11:00 on Monday as the time of the court appearance and reports no outcome.
21 Sept 2026newsEWNSAPS seek links as probe into Ekurhuleni murders extends beyond East RandPublished at 12:00 on Monday 21 September, bylined Nkosikhona Malinga-Mnisi. It reports Deputy National Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili, speaking outside the Boksburg Magistrate's Court, as saying a tenth victim, the woman found in a dam in Moroka, Soweto, has been added to the broader investigation, that no definitive link between the cases has been established, and that the Dawn Park case is being treated separately. Her words are reported indirectly, not as a verbatim transcript.
21 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenPolice discover tenth woman's body wrapped in a duvet in SowetoPublished at 01:08 on Monday 21 September, bylined Faizel Patel. It reports that the body of a woman estimated to be in her twenties was found wrapped in a duvet in a dam at Moroka, Soweto, at about 17:00 on Sunday, quotes police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, and says an inquest has been opened and it is unclear whether the death is linked to the Ekurhuleni cases.
21 Sept 2026newsThe WitnessWoman found dead in Soweto dam as Gauteng body count risesPublished at 07:23 on Monday 21 September, bylined Shorné Bennie. It confirms the Moroka, Soweto discovery on Sunday evening, the woman's estimated age as in her 20s and the inquest, and says it remains unclear whether the case is linked to the Ekurhuleni deaths, with investigations continuing.
21 Sept 2026newsThe CitizenEkurhuleni murders: These are the names of the women who were brutally murderedPublished at 08:22 on Monday 21 September, bylined Faizel Patel. It carries a list of the nine women with the place and date each was found, which it says national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe shared: it names the woman found in Kempton Park on 15 July as Busisiwe Mahlangu, gives Nomfesane Mjobo as found in Kempton Park on 26 August, lists the woman found in the Clayville River, Olifantsfontein, on 7 September as unknown and the woman found at Olifantsfontein on 14 September with her name withheld. It does not say how the list was released.
21 Sept 2026newsJoburg ETCEkurhuleni murders: Police name nine women found in recent spreePublished on Monday 21 September, timestamped 10:12 and updated at 11:00. It carries the same list of nine women, places and dates, attributed to Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, and says the name of the woman found on 14 September is withheld until her family is notified. It gives Dawn Park for Gracious Nkomo where The Citizen gives Kempton Park; this site keeps Kempton Park, which matches every earlier report.
21 Sept 2026newsIOLKempton Park killings: Police reveal possible love triangle behind ninth murderPublished on the afternoon of Monday 21 September, bylined Brandon Nel and Simon Majadibodu. It reports Deputy National Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili appealing for help to identify the woman found at Olifantsfontein on 7 September, which it calls the only body in the Ekurhuleni cases still without a name, and saying the R400,000 police reward still stands. It also writes, in its own words, that the number of women found dead had risen to 10 with the discovery in Soweto on Sunday night.
21 Sept 2026newsSowetanLove triangle at heart of one of Ekurhuleni murdersPublished on Monday 21 September, bylined Michelle Banda; no publication time is shown on the page. It reports that two people appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on charges of murder and defeating or obstructing the course of justice in the death of Jabulile Ntimba, were remanded in custody, and that the case was postponed to 1 October 2026 for a formal bail application. It quotes Deputy National Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili on why only two of the three people arrested were charged.
21 Sept 2026newsBriefly.co.zaNinth Ekurhuleni Killing: 2 Suspects Appear in Court As Third Person Walks FreePublished at 16:36 on Monday 21 September, bylined Mbalenhle Butale. It confirms that two people appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court over the death of Jabulile Ntimba, were remanded in custody and return on 1 October 2026, and that the third person arrested was not enrolled in the proceedings. It gives the murder charge as premeditated murder.
22 Sept 2026newsIOL / The StarPolice search for family of unidentified woman amid Ekurhuleni deathsPublished at 06:32 on Tuesday 22 September, bylined Simon Majadibodu. It reports that the woman found in a river at Clayville, near the Mall of Tembisa, on 7 September is still unidentified, and that police have traced an address that may lead to her family. It quotes Deputy National Commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili, speaking outside the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Monday, on that address, on when an announcement would be made, and on why police cannot say a serial killer is on the loose, and it puts the number of women found dead in Ekurhuleni and surrounding areas at nine.
22 Sept 2026newsEWNPolice back to drawing court after suspect in Ekurhuleni murder releasedPublished at 04:07 on Tuesday 22 September. It reports that the third person taken in for questioning over the death of Jabulile Ntimba has been released after the prosecution found the available evidence insufficient to proceed, that two others remain in custody with a bail hearing set for 1 October, and that police are reconsidering their approach. Its account of the Deputy National Commissioner is indirect, with no verbatim quote.

Where sources disagree

Named outlets sometimes report the same fact differently. Where they do, each version is listed here with its source, followed by what this record uses and why. Not settled means officials have not cleared it up.

Not settledThe seventh and eighth women: the same river

This record: Keeps the police count of eight and pins the two side by side. SAPS has not said whether these are two separate discoveries.

Not settledWhen the eighth woman was found

This record: Dates the eighth entry 15 September, the day the case was made public, until SAPS says when she was found.

Not settledHow many of the women have been identified

This record: Marks a woman as identified only where police or her family were reported as identifying her. The appeal to families, and which women this record shows as identified, are on The women page.

Settled on this recordWhen Itumeleng Kekana, the second woman, was found

This record: Uses 3 August, the date in the same-day local report.

Settled on this recordWhen Elizabeth Moselakgomo was found

This record: Uses Saturday 12 September. Daily Maverick places her discovery behind a hotel in Rhodesfield on that date, which suggests BNO's list counts her twice.

Settled on this recordWho the fifth woman was

This record: Counts the woman found at Olifantsfontein on 14 September as the fifth, and treats BNO's version as an error.

Settled on this recordSix, seven or eight

This record: Follows the police count, which reached eight on the evening of 15 September. Articles from earlier that day that say six or seven were right when published. SAPS has not said which of the deaths are linked.

Settled on this recordClayville, Olifantsfontein or Tembisa

This record: Treats these as names for one area and uses Clayville, the place SAPS named for the seventh woman. Tembisa is also spelt Thembisa.

Settled on this recordWhich hotel Ms Moselakgomo was found near

This record: Repeats both descriptions as reported, without choosing a hotel, and places the pin at street level in Rhodesfield.

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