Women Demand Justice Amid Outrage Over Murders in South Africa

WHO:

Al Jazeera - President Cyril Ramaphosa urged men to prevent violence against women and girls.

Al Jazeera - Fred Kekana is the police commissioner of Gauteng province.

Al Jazeera - Tebello Mosikili is the deputy police commissioner.

Al Jazeera - Panyaza Lesufi is the Gauteng premier.

Al Jazeera - Philisiwe Gabela is an official with the country’s Commission for Gender Equality.

Al Jazeera - Princess Eurika Mogane is a commissioner at South Africa’s Commission for Gender Equality.

BBC News - Women in the Kempton Park area are urged to avoid walking or running alone.

WHAT:

Al Jazeera - Nine women have been found murdered in Ekurhuleni municipality over the past two months.

Al Jazeera - The rate at which women are killed in South Africa is five times higher than the global average, according to UN Women.

Al Jazeera - Police have offered a reward of 400,000 rand ($25,000) for information leading to an arrest.

Al Jazeera - An average of 5.5 out of 100,000 women in South Africa were killed by intimate partners between 2020 and 2021.

Al Jazeera - South African police recorded 9,782 reported rapes and 12,590 sexual offences between January and March this year.

WHERE:

Al Jazeera - The bodies of the murdered women were found in Ekurhuleni municipality, greater Johannesburg area.

Al Jazeera - The first five bodies were found in the Kempton Park area.

Al Jazeera - The latest body was found in Dawn Park, about 30km south of Kempton Park.

WHEN:

Al Jazeera - The latest body was discovered on Thursday, September 17.

Al Jazeera - The first body was found on July 17.

WHY:

Al Jazeera - The killings have sparked fears of a potential serial killer due to similarities in the cases.

Al Jazeera - President Ramaphosa called on men to take a stand against gender-based violence and femicide.

HOW:

Al Jazeera - Police are investigating potential links between the murders by comparing evidence, timelines, locations, and victim profiles.

Al Jazeera - At least one suspect has been detained and appeared in court.

(UPDATED September 20, 2026 03:55 UTC)

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on men to take action against gender-based violence and femicide, following the tragic discovery of nine murdered women in the Ekurhuleni municipality, which has raised fears of a potential serial killer. The police are investigating the cases by examining evidence and timelines, and they have offered a reward of 400,000 rand for information leading to an arrest, with at least one suspect already detained. In light of these events, women in the Kempton Park area are being urged to avoid walking or running alone for their safety.