Police today announced the discovery of the tenth woman’s body in the Johannesburg suburbs, a chilling reminder of a surge in femicide that has rattled the nation.
The body was unearthed early Saturday in a cemetery in Tembisa, a northern neighbourhood of Johannesburg. A friend, who had spent the previous evening in a bar with the victim, confirmed the identity after seeing a photo of the body in a live news feed.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said investigators could not yet confirm a serial killer but noted common threads – a similar modus operandi and victim profile – that link the ten cases. He urged the public to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and assured that evidence was being collected at the scene.
The deaths have added to an already alarming trend: between April and June alone, South Africa recorded 5,427 homicides, with 569 women killed and 1,052 survived attempted murder, according to the Human Rights Commission. The majority of the bodies found in this latest wave have been young women and were located chiefly around Kempton Park, a short distance from Tembisa.
The country’s growing violence against women has prompted national leaders to declare gender‑based violence a disaster, yet the reality on the ground shows a stark mismatch between policy rhetoric and safety. A nationwide outcry has intensified demands for stronger protection and swift justice.
In a related legal development, three men were recently tried for their roles in one of the nine murders linked to the series, while police remain on the lookout for other possible suspects.
The community surrounding the newly discovered body has expressed profound grief. One witness, speaking to the national broadcaster, said, ’I don’t know what I will tell her children. It is painful.’ This stark testimony encapsulates the raw pain of a society wrestling with untold loss and the urgent call for change.
