Fear and outrage are spreading across parts of Ekurhuleni after the bodies of six women were discovered in and around Kempton Park over the past two months, prompting South African police to establish a multidisciplinary task team and investigate whether the cases could be connected.
The discoveries have been concentrated around the R21 and Rhodesfield areas, with another body found in nearby Olifantsfontein and a sixth woman discovered in Kwa-Thema, Springs, on Tuesday.
Police have warned women in the affected areas to remain vigilant but have stressed that investigators have not yet confirmed that a serial killer is responsible.
A DISTURBING TIMELINE
15 July 2026 — First victim
The first woman, aged 37, was found dead in an open veld near the R21 in the Kempton Park area.
According to police reports, she was found unclothed and had been restrained with cable ties.
A suspect was arrested two days later in connection with the case and remains in custody. Police have subsequently stressed that the continued discovery of other bodies while that suspect was behind bars is one of the factors being considered when assessing whether the cases are connected.
24 August 2026 — Second victim
A second woman, aged 32, was discovered dead in the broader R21/Rhodesfield area.
She was reportedly found partially clothed and with visible injuries.
Her death became part of the growing investigation into whether a pattern was developing in the area.
10 September 2026 — Third victim
On 10 September, police discovered the body of another woman in the Rhodesfield area.
The body was reportedly unclothed and in an advanced state of decomposition.
The discovery further intensified concerns because of its proximity to the locations where the earlier victims had been found.
12 September 2026 — Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo
The case that triggered widespread public attention involved 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, a Rhodesfield resident and runner.
Moselakgomo went missing on 9 September after leaving home for her usual run. Her disappearance sparked a community search.
On 12 September, the body of a woman was discovered behind a hotel in Rhodesfield, close to the R21 and the OR Tambo International Airport area.
Because of the injuries sustained by the woman, her family was initially unable to identify the remains at the scene.
On 14 September, Moselakgomo's family positively identified the body at the Germiston mortuary.
Her death has deeply affected the local running community, with runners and community members mourning her and demanding greater action to protect women using public spaces.
14 September 2026 — Fifth victim found in Olifantsfontein
The following day, police were confronted with another disturbing discovery.
The body of an unidentified woman was found along Porcelain Avenue in Olifantsfontein, in the broader area surrounding Kempton Park.
Police said the woman had visible bruising and was partially clothed. Investigators were examining the possibility that she had been killed elsewhere and that her body had subsequently been dumped at the location.
Her identity and age had not yet been established at the time of reporting.
15 September 2026 — Sixth victim found in Kwa-Thema
On Tuesday morning, another woman's body was discovered in Kwa-Thema, Springs, approximately 45 kilometres from Kempton Park.
The woman was reportedly found in an advanced state of decomposition.
Police have not confirmed that her death is connected to the five cases already being investigated around Kempton Park and Olifantsfontein.
However, the discovery has significantly widened public concern across Ekurhuleni.
ARE THE CASES CONNECTED?
That is now one of the central questions facing investigators.
The similarities have raised fears that a serial offender could be operating in the region. Several of the victims were found partially or completely unclothed, with visible injuries, and a number of the bodies were discovered in open areas, roadside locations or secluded spaces.
Police have also confirmed that forensic investigations found evidence of sexual assault in most of the Kempton Park-area cases.
But SAPS has been careful not to officially label the deaths as the work of a serial killer.
Investigators are considering several possibilities, including:
- A single offender operating across different parts of Ekurhuleni. - Multiple offenders operating independently. - Different perpetrators whose crimes happen to share certain characteristics. - Bodies being transported and dumped in areas that provide easy access and escape routes.
Former SAPS criminal profiler Elmarie Myburgh has argued that investigators should approach the cases as a potential serial-killer investigation even before a definitive link is established, saying that this approach could help investigators identify patterns while the evidence is still being analysed.
POLICE ESTABLISH MULTIDISCIPLINARY TASK TEAM
SAPS has deployed specialised resources to investigate the deaths.
The investigation includes detectives from the Murder and Robbery Unit, the Investigative Psychology Unit, forensic investigators, the K9 unit, tracing teams, crime intelligence and other specialised resources.
The task team is being led by Gauteng Deputy Provincial Commissioner Major General Mbuso Khumalo, with investigators tasked with examining the evidence from each case and determining whether there are links between them.
Police have also indicated that they are examining the possibility that the women may not all have been killed at the locations where their bodies were discovered.
COMMUNITY FEAR AND OUTRAGE
The deaths have left women and residents in Kempton Park and surrounding communities increasingly fearful.
The R21 and areas surrounding Rhodesfield have come under particular scrutiny because several of the bodies were found within a relatively concentrated geographical area.
The discovery of Elizabeth Moselakgomo's body has also sparked anger among members of the running community, who have questioned why women should have to give up ordinary activities such as running or walking because of the threat of violence.
Advocacy groups have similarly criticised warnings that place responsibility on women to avoid exercising or travelling alone, arguing that authorities must address the underlying failures that allow dangerous public spaces to remain vulnerable.
Police, meanwhile, have maintained that their warnings are intended as precautionary measures while the investigation continues.
POLICE APPEAL FOR INFORMATION
SAPS is urging residents, motorists, security personnel and anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity around Rhodesfield, the R21 and surrounding areas to come forward.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation can contact:
Warrant Officer Elvis Manyike 082 465 7249
Information can also be submitted anonymously through the MySAPS App.
THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
For now, one fact remains clear: six women have been found dead across parts of Ekurhuleni since July, and investigators are racing to determine whether those deaths form part of a single pattern or represent separate crimes.
Until forensic and investigative evidence establishes a connection, it would be premature to definitively describe the killings as the work of a serial killer.
But with another body discovered on 15 September, pressure on SAPS is mounting to establish who is responsible — and whether more women could be at risk.
C6X Media will continue to follow developments as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding each death.
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