Police are probing a series of killings in a country grappling with one of the world’s highest femicide rates.
South African police have discovered the body of another woman east of the country’s commercial capital, Johannesburg, bringing the total number of female bodies found near the city since mid‑July to ten.
Police confirmed the discovery in Thembisa, Ekurhuleni, on Saturday but have not provided any further details. The body was found in the morning, according to the daily newspaper, The Sowetan.
The latest fatality adds to mounting concern over violence against women in a nation long plagued by violent crime. While investigators work to determine whether the killings are linked, community members fear that a single perpetrator—or group—may be responsible.
Provincial police chief Tommy Mthombeni said the newest victim appeared to have been stoned to death, and a post‑mortem examination will be conducted to establish the cause of death.
“We have assigned highly capable investigators to this case,” he told reporters at the scene, pledging to bring those responsible to justice.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, campaigning for upcoming local elections, acknowledged the grim discovery. “I’ve sadly heard about the tenth body of a woman found in Thembisa. 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,” he said.
South Africa records one of the highest femicide rates globally, with an average of 15 women killed each day.
Two individuals have been charged in connection with the murder of the ninth victim, whose body was recovered last week. Police suggest the killing may have stemmed from a relationship dispute.
Mthombeni told state broadcaster SABC that investigators view the ninth killing as an isolated incident, though similarities among several cases raise the possibility of a broader pattern. He cautioned that conclusive evidence linking the murders has not yet been found.
Police discovered three bodies in July and August within a six‑kilometre radius in Ekurhuleni. Earlier this month, six more bodies were found over a ten‑day span, also in Ekurhuleni.
Prior to Saturday’s discovery, all of the deceased women were in their twenties or thirties. Several were found completely or partially nude. Police have not yet disclosed the age or clothing of the tenth victim.
The first body, found in mid‑July, was naked and had been restrained with cable ties. Her boyfriend was arrested, but no charges were filed.
