Ekurhuleni murders: Ninth woman’s body found in Dawn Park — Here’s what to know
SAPS is hiring—but meeting the criteria is only half the battle. Here’s what to expect.
A ninth woman’s body has been discovered in Dawn Park, in Ekurhuleni’s Boksburg area, police confirmed on Thursday morning, deepening a crisis that has now claimed the lives of nine women across the municipality since mid-July.
What Happened This Morning
The body was found half-naked and wrapped in a sheet on the side of the road in Dawn Park on Thursday morning, 17 September. Police have not yet released the woman’s identity. The discovery comes just a day after Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia announced that SAPS would effectively lock down parts of Ekurhuleni in the coming weeks in response to the string of killings, and follows the identification, on Wednesday, of 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, whose body was found in KwaThema, Springs, earlier in the week.
The South African Police Service has confirmed that its previously assembled multidisciplinary investigative team is examining the circumstances of this latest case alongside the eight others. As of this report, this remains a developing story, with no cause of death or suspect information yet released.
Background: How the Ekurhuleni Murders Unfolded
The killings first drew national attention in mid-July, when a 37-year-old woman was found naked and restrained with cable ties in an open field in Kempton Park. A suspect, reportedly her partner, was arrested within days. What might have looked like an isolated case took on a far darker shape over the following two months, as more bodies surfaced across the municipality: in Kempton Park itself, in Olifantsfontein near Thembisa Mall, in Clayville, and now in Dawn Park, Boksburg, and KwaThema, Springs.
Among the identified victims is Itumeleng Kekana, found in Kempton Park on 3 August after 17 days of searching by her family. The case that arguably drew the most public attention, however, was that of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, a 38-year-old woman who disappeared after leaving home for an afternoon run and was found dead in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park, on 12 September. It was Moselakgomo’s eight-year-old daughter who first raised the alarm when her mother failed to return home — a detail that has stayed with the public as the case has unfolded, and one that has since driven a community fundraiser for the family that has passed R84,000. Her body was positively identified by relatives two days later, on 14 September, at the Germiston mortuary.
By 16 September, with an eighth body confirmed and Motapane’s identity established, the government’s response escalated sharply. Acting Police Minister Cachalia announced that Operation Shanela, the province’s broader anti-crime initiative, would be “massively expanded” in Kempton Park and surrounding areas, describing plans to effectively lock down parts of Ekurhuleni in the coming weeks with a stronger, more visible police presence. He was joined at that briefing by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, and several other ministers, underlining how far up South Africa’s government this case has climbed.
EKURHULENI KILLINGS | A ninth body has been discovered in Dawn Park, Ekurhuleni. Major-General Fred Kekana says preliminary indications suggest the body was dumped at the scene. pic.twitter.com/1Exh05HuDY
— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 17, 2026
A R400,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible, though Cachalia stressed that police are not relying on the reward alone, appealing instead to residents’ “humanity” and sense of responsibility to come forward. President Cyril Ramaphosa has since declared violence against women in the area a national crisis and directed police to prioritise the investigations, saying he has been personally briefed on their progress.
With this ninth body now added to the count, investigators face a widening and increasingly urgent task: establishing whether the killings are the work of one perpetrator, several, or an unrelated cluster of cases that happen to have surfaced in the same window of time and the same stretch of Gauteng.
FAQ
How many women have been found dead in Ekurhuleni now? Nine, as of 17 September 2026, with bodies discovered across Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Clayville, KwaThema/Springs, and now Dawn Park in Boksburg since mid-July.
Where was the ninth body found? In Dawn Park, part of the Boksburg area of Ekurhuleni, discovered half-naked and wrapped in a sheet on the side of the road on the morning of 17 September.
Who is investigating the Ekurhuleni murders? A multidisciplinary team assembled by the South African Police Service, with oversight extending to the Acting National Police Commissioner and the Minister of Police’s office.
Is there a reward for information on the case? Yes. Police have offered R400,000 for information leading to an arrest, though officials have emphasised that reporting information is also a civic responsibility.
Who was Elizabeth Moselakgomo? A 38-year-old woman who disappeared after going for a run and was later found dead in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park. Her case drew significant public attention, partly because it was her eight-year-old daughter who first noticed she hadn’t returned home.
Why is SAPS locking down parts of Ekurhuleni? As part of an intensified response to the killings, announced by Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, expanding Operation Shanela and increasing visible policing in Kempton Park and surrounding areas.
Has President Ramaphosa responded to the murders? Yes. He has declared violence against women in the area a national crisis and directed police to prioritise the investigations, saying he has been briefed directly on their progress.