Tenth body found in South Africa amid hunt for culprit
A tenth woman’s body has been found dead in South Africa’s Gauteng province amid a series of suspected serial killings, local media reported on Monday, citing police.
The corpse of the unidentified woman, believed to be in her 20s, was discovered in a dam in Moroka, Soweto, at around 5 PM on September 20. Her body had been wrapped in a duvet, according to a police statement aired by SABC.
South African Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili confirmed the discovery of the tenth body on Monday as authorities continue to investigate the deaths of nine women found in neighboring Ekurhuleni since July. Police have not established whether the latest case is connected to the previous ones.
“Behind every one of these women is a human being, a family and a life that mattered. We owe it to them to find the truth. We owe it to their families to pursue justice,” South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.
The series of killings has raised concerns that a serial killer could be operating in the area. Police, however, have cautioned against drawing conclusions while investigations are ongoing.
A multidisciplinary team of detectives, forensic experts and criminal profilers has been assigned to the cases. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed that the investigation must receive the “highest level of attention” from the government and law enforcement agencies.
The nine women in Ekurhuleni were found between July 15 and September 17 in areas including Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Kwa-Thema and Dawn Park. The government said eight of the nine had been identified as of September 20. The first body was discovered near the R21 highway in Kempton Park. The 37-year-old victim was found naked and restrained with cable ties.
The ninth victim, Jabulile Ntimba, was found in Dawn Park on September 17. Police arrested two women and a man in connection with her killing over the weekend.
