How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articles

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1. backgroundSep 16

   Eighth body discovered; police launch intensive manhunt — The eighth woman's body was discovered, prompting an intensive police investigation and public calls to come forward with information. Authorities urged the public to avoid speculation while investigations continued.

2. 3 Sep 15

   Sixth and seventh bodies found; pattern of missing women emerges

   A sixth woman's body was found in Kwa-Thema, and a seventh discovery was reported near Johannesburg. Reporting also noted 17 women reported missing in the Kempton Park area since January, with multiple recent discoveries involving women who went out for runs.

   • ▶BBC News
     Grim discoveries of murdered women spark fear in South Africa. #SouthAfrica #BBCNews video · YouTube · 4d ago
   • ▶DW News
     South Africans honor nine women found dead | DW News video · YouTube · 4d ago
   1. 21 outlets South Africa on alert after seventh woman’s body found near capital

      first by SCMP, 8d ago · also CBS News, Japan Today, AP News, Philadelphia Inquirer, BBC, BBC Africa +14

      17 more headlines

      • Body of 7th woman found in same area of South Africa, sparking fears of serial killer CBS News · 8d ago
      • South African police issue alert after seventh woman's body found near Johannesburg Japan Today · 8d ago
      • South African police say the body of a ninth woman has been found in a series of killings that could be linked Philadelphia Inquirer · 6d ago
      • South African police say a ninth woman's body has been found Philadelphia Inquirer · 6d ago
      • A 9th woman’s body found in South Africa deepens fears of a possible serial killer TribLIVE.com · 6d ago
      • Ninth woman's body found as South African police investigate string of deaths BBC · 6d ago
      • South Africa: Police find 9th body of woman amid spree fears dw.com · 6d ago
      • A ninth woman's body is found in South Africa as police investigate series of killings Philadelphia Inquirer · 6d ago
      • Ninth woman found dead in Johannesburg killing spree Channel News Asia · 6d ago
      • Serial killer fears in Johannesburg after ninth body found The Telegraph · 6d ago
      • Ninth woman’s body found as South Africa probes series of killings Al Jazeera · 6d ago
      • South African police find a ninth woman's body near Johannesburg Reuters · 6d ago
      • Fears of possible serial killer deepen in South Africa as body of ninth woman is found Globe and Mail · 6d ago
      • South African police find ninth woman's body near Johannesburg UPI · 6d ago
      • A ninth woman’s body found in South Africa deepens fears of a possible serial killer Boston Globe · 6d ago
      • Ninth woman found dead in South Africa killing spree Japan Today · 6d ago
      • ‘Women are terrified’: Ninth body found as South African police probe series of killings CNN · 4d ago
   2. 18 outlets South Africa intensifies hunt after eight women found dead

      first by Bangkok Post, 8d ago · also Independent UK, Philadelphia Inquirer, Newsweek, CBS News, Yahoo News Canada, Yahoo +11

      15 more headlines

      • Deaths of eight women in South Africa spark fears of serial killer The Independent · 7d ago
      • Fear and anger in South Africa after eight women found dead The Independent · 7d ago
      • What to know about the deaths of 8 women in South Africa that have sparked fear and anger Philadelphia Inquirer · 7d ago
      • Warning Issued to Women Amid Serial Killer Fears in South Africa Newsweek · 7d ago
      • Deaths of eight women in South Africa spark fears of serial killer – what we know Independent UK · 6d ago
      • 9th woman found dead in South Africa, adding to fears of serial killer CBS News · 6d ago
      • Why the discovery of 9 women's bodies has raised fears of a serial killer in South Africa Yahoo News Canada · 6d ago
      • Discovery of nine women's bodies raises fears of serial killer in South Africa Globe and Mail · 6d ago
      • Serial killer suspicions in South Africa France 24 EN · 6d ago
      • Why the discovery of 9 women’s bodies have raised fears of a serial killer in South Africa Orlando Sentinel · 6d ago
      • ‘This is a war’: South Africa battles femicide as women’s bodies pile up Al Jazeera · 5d ago
      • Nine bodies found in South Africa raise fears of serial murder, femicide The Washington Post · 4d ago
      • Fear and anger in South Africa as bodies of nine women found: What we know Al Jazeera · 4d ago
      • Nine women found dead near Johannesburg sends shockwaves through South Africa France 24 EN · 3d ago
      • ‘We’re terrified all the time’: Fear and anger in South Africa after nine women’s bodies found in three months Independent UK · 3d ago
   2 more claims →
   • N

     Police in South Africa have found the ninth body in two months in an area near the Johannesburg airport, raising fears of an active serial killer. “We cannot continue picking up bodies,” deputy police chief Tebello Mosikili says. Read more from @ dwenglish https:// flip.it/JjSW4- # SouthAfrica # Johannesburg # SerialKiller

     NewsDesk@flipboard.socialMastodon6d agoview on Mastodon ↗

   1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch

   • V

     From AP: 9 women have been found dead in South Africa over the last two months https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=jgk1SGVdQb k&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon * VSN-GDPM c1996 # news # SupportIndependentMedia # vsn

     verdantsquare@mastodon.worldMastodon6d agoview on Mastodon ↗

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3. 2 Sep 14 4:00 AM

   Police confirm sexual assault in four of five cases

   Deputy national commissioner Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili confirmed that four of the five victims had been sexually molested, with the fifth found in advanced decomposition. A fifth body was discovered in Olifantsfontein, about 25km north of Rhodesfield.

   “They were all sexually molested or at least the majority of them. They were found to be sexually molested except for one that was found in a state of decomposition, but the other four, the team can confirm that they were sexually molested.”

   1. 1 outlet News24 | Another woman’s body found in Ekurhuleni, after four others found in Kempton Park area

      first by News24, 9d ago

4. 1 Sep 13

   Police form task team; refuse to confirm serial killer link

   Gauteng police established a multidisciplinary task team including specialists from the Investigative Psychology unit to investigate possible links between the four deaths. Major-General Fred Kekana cautioned against premature conclusions, saying investigators are considering all possibilities.

   “While there are similarities in some of the circumstances surrounding the cases, it would be premature at this stage to conclude that the four cases are linked or that they involve one perpetrator.”

   1. 1 outlet News24 | Task team formed to probe possible link between 4 women’s deaths in Kempton Park

      first by News24, 10d ago

5. backgroundSep 12

   Fourth body discovered in Rhodesfield; Moselakgomo identified — A 38-year-old woman wearing sports gear was found partially clothed in Rhodesfield on 12 September. Her badly beaten face initially prevented family identification. Elizabeth Moselakgomo's family later identified her body at Germiston state mortuary on 14 September.

6. backgroundSep 10

   Third body found; missing runner Elizabeth Moselakgomo reported — An unidentified woman's body was found in an advanced state of decomposition. The same day, 38-year-old runner Elizabeth Mokolo Moselakgomo was reported missing after she disappeared on an evening run in Kempton Park on 9 September.

7. backgroundAug 24

   Second body found near R21 — A 32-year-old woman, partially clothed, was discovered near the R21 in Kempton Park.

8. backgroundJul 15

   First body discovered near R21 in Kempton Park — A 37-year-old woman was found naked and restrained with cable ties near the R21 in Kempton Park. Police arrested a suspect on 17 July 2026 in connection with this case.