Ekurhuleni Killings: 9 Women Dead as Police Investigate Possible Links
Updated: 17 September 2026
Nine women have now been found dead across Ekurhuleni since July, with police investigating whether some of the cases are connected.
The investigation widened again on Thursday, 17 September 2026, after police discovered the body of another woman in Dawn Park, Boksburg.
The latest discovery brings the number of women whose deaths are being investigated across the East Rand to nine.
Bodies have been discovered in several parts of Ekurhuleni, including Kempton Park, Rhodesfield, Olifantsfontein, KwaThema and Dawn Park.
Police have not confirmed that all nine deaths were committed by the same person or group.
However, investigators are examining possible links between the cases and have deployed a multidisciplinary team to investigate the deaths.
A R400,000 reward has also been offered for information that could assist investigators and lead to arrests.
Ninth woman’s body found in Dawn Park
The latest development came on Thursday morning when police discovered the body of a woman in Dawn Park, Boksburg.
South African Police Service officials confirmed that the discovery would be added to the investigation into the deaths of women across Ekurhuleni.
The woman’s identity had not been officially released at the time of the latest police update.
Police said preliminary indications suggested that her body had been dumped at the scene, meaning investigators are examining whether the woman may have been killed elsewhere.
Reports from the scene said the woman was partially clothed and had suffered injuries. Because the forensic investigation is ongoing, details surrounding the cause and circumstances of her death should be treated as preliminary.
The discovery has intensified concern in communities across the East Rand.
How many women have been found dead in Ekurhuleni?
Nine women are now included in the investigation.
The deaths have occurred over a period of roughly two months and across several areas of Ekurhuleni.
The cases include women whose bodies were discovered around Kempton Park and Rhodesfield, as well as cases in Olifantsfontein, KwaThema and Dawn Park.
The geographic spread has made the investigation more complex, with police examining each case individually while also looking for possible links.
Importantly, nine deaths does not automatically mean nine confirmed victims of one killer.
Police have not made that determination.
Are the nine Ekurhuleni killings connected?
This remains one of the central questions in the investigation.
Police are examining similarities between some of the cases and have established a multidisciplinary investigative team to look at the deaths collectively.
However, authorities have not publicly confirmed that all nine women were killed by the same person.
The investigation therefore has two tracks: establishing what happened in each individual case and determining whether evidence connects any of the deaths.
Forensic evidence, witness statements, CCTV footage, cellphone information and other investigative material could help establish whether connections exist.
Until those links are confirmed, claims about a single perpetrator remain unproven.
Is there a serial killer in Ekurhuleni?
Public concern about a possible serial killer has grown as the number of women found dead has increased.
The circumstances and locations of some of the deaths have also prompted questions about whether a single perpetrator could be responsible.
But police have not confirmed that a serial killer is responsible for the nine deaths.
The correct position at this stage is that investigators are examining possible links between the cases.
That distinction matters because the investigation is still developing and forensic evidence could establish that some cases are connected while others are not.
R400,000 reward for information
Police have offered a R400,000 reward for information that could help investigators make arrests in connection with the Ekurhuleni deaths.
The reward was announced as police intensified their response to the cases.
Investigators are asking members of the public with credible information to come forward rather than spreading unverified accusations or attempting to identify suspects through social media.
Anyone who may have information about the victims, their movements, potential suspects or the locations where the women were last seen could potentially assist the investigation.
Who are the victims?
The investigation includes women whose identities have already been established as well as victims whose families are still waiting for confirmation.
Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo
Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, 38, became one of the most widely reported victims after she disappeared following an afternoon run in Kempton Park.
Her disappearance was reported on 9 September.
Her body was subsequently discovered in the Rhodesfield area and identified by her family.
Her death prompted an outpouring of concern from members of the running community and renewed discussion around the safety of women exercising alone.
Itumeleng Kekana
Itumeleng Kekana, 32, was reported missing from Kempton Park before her remains were found near Great North Road in Pomona on 3 August.
Her family’s search for answers included visits to hospitals, police stations and mortuaries before her remains were identified.
Her case has also raised questions about the process of identifying unidentified remains and whether information from different cases can be effectively connected.
Dineo Evelyn Motapane
Dineo Evelyn Motapane, 38, was found on the side of a road in KwaThema earlier in September.
Her family subsequently identified her body.
Her identification provided investigators with another confirmed identity as they continued working through the wider investigation.
The remaining victims
Other women whose bodies have been discovered have not all been publicly identified.
Their identities remain an important part of the investigation because establishing who the victims were can help police reconstruct their movements, relationships and final known whereabouts.
For families waiting for confirmation, the identification process is also critical.
Ekurhuleni killings timeline
July 2026 — First reported case
A 37-year-old woman’s body was discovered near the R21 in the Kempton Park area.
Police subsequently arrested a suspect in connection with that case.
The arrest does not, by itself, establish a connection between that case and the later deaths.
3 August 2026 — Itumeleng Kekana
The remains of 32-year-old Itumeleng Kekana were found near Great North Road in Pomona.
Her case later became part of the wider investigation into women found dead across Ekurhuleni.
24 August 2026
Another woman’s body was discovered near the R21.
Reports at the time described the victim as 32 years old.
7 September 2026 — Olifantsfontein
A woman’s body was discovered in the Olifantsfontein area.
The case was subsequently included in the wider Ekurhuleni investigation.
9 September 2026 — Moselakgomo disappears
Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo disappeared after leaving her Kempton Park home for an afternoon run.
Her disappearance triggered a search involving family, community members and runners.
10 September 2026
An unidentified woman’s body was discovered in the Rhodesfield area of Kempton Park.
12 September 2026 — Moselakgomo identified
Moselakgomo’s body was discovered in Rhodesfield and subsequently identified by her family.
15 September 2026 — KwaThema
Another woman’s body was discovered in KwaThema.
The victim was later identified as Dineo Evelyn Motapane, 38.
16 September 2026 — Police announce reward
Police announced a R400,000 reward and confirmed that a high-level multidisciplinary investigation had been established.
17 September 2026 — Ninth body found
Police discovered another woman’s body in Dawn Park, Boksburg.
The discovery brought the number of women included in the wider investigation to nine.
The victim’s identity had not been officially released in the initial police announcement.
Where have the bodies been found?
The investigation now covers multiple parts of Ekurhuleni.
Reported locations include:
- Kempton Park
- Rhodesfield
- Pomona
- Olifantsfontein
- KwaThema
- Dawn Park
- Boksburg
The geographical spread is one of the reasons investigators are examining whether there are connections between individual cases.
What police are investigating
Investigators are working to establish:
- The identities of all unidentified victims
- The cause of death in each case
- Where each woman died
- Whether any bodies were moved
- Whether forensic evidence links different crime scenes
- Whether the victims knew one another
- Whether suspects are connected to multiple cases
- Whether CCTV or other surveillance footage can provide leads
- Whether cellphone or digital evidence can help reconstruct movements
- Whether the July arrest relates only to the first case or has relevance to later deaths
Police have deployed a multidisciplinary team of investigators and specialists to work across the cases.
The investigation is continuing.
Why identifying the victims matters
Identification is more than a procedural step.
Knowing who the victims are can give investigators access to information about their final movements, workplaces, relationships, communications and people they may have interacted with before their deaths.
It can also help establish timelines that may reveal connections between cases.
For families, identification can finally answer one of the most painful questions after a disappearance: what happened to their loved one?
What police have confirmed about the ninth victim
At the time of the initial announcement, police had confirmed:
- The body was found on 17 September 2026.
- The location was Dawn Park, Boksburg.
- It was the ninth woman’s body found in the broader Ekurhuleni investigation.
- The case has been added to the wider investigation.
- The woman’s identity had not been officially released.
- Preliminary indications suggested the body had been dumped at the scene.
- Investigators were continuing to establish the circumstances of the death.
Further forensic findings could change what is known about the case.
What remains unknown
Despite the rapid developments, major questions remain.
Who are all the unidentified victims?
What happened to each woman?
Were the women killed at the locations where their bodies were found?
Are there forensic connections between the scenes?
Are the victims connected in any way?
Are some of the deaths connected while others are separate?
Is there one perpetrator, multiple perpetrators or different suspects involved in separate cases?
And what evidence will ultimately determine whether the deaths form part of one investigation or several unrelated investigations?
Those questions can only be answered through the evidence gathered by investigators.
Police appeal for information
Police are asking anyone with credible information to come forward.
Information can be provided through Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or the MySAPS App.
Members of the public are also being urged to avoid spreading unverified accusations or identifying alleged suspects online.
The investigation remains active, and information supplied by witnesses and members of affected communities could assist police in establishing what happened.
The bigger picture
The investigation has moved beyond a single Kempton Park crime story.
Nine women have now been found dead across parts of Ekurhuleni since July, with cases reported in communities including Kempton Park, Rhodesfield, Pomona, Olifantsfontein, KwaThema and Dawn Park.
The ninth discovery has intensified public concern, but the investigation is still working to establish whether the cases are connected.
For now, the most important distinction is between what has been confirmed and what remains under investigation.
Nine women have died. Police are investigating possible links. A R400,000 reward has been offered for information. And the identity and circumstances surrounding the latest victim remain under investigation.
As new forensic findings, identifications or police statements emerge, this article will be updated.
