Police have confirmed the discovery of a ninth womanâs body in Dawn Park, Boksburg, deepening an investigation into a series of deaths across Ekurhuleni that has alarmed communities on Johannesburgâs East Rand.
- Ninth victim: An unidentified woman believed to be around 30 was found partially clothed in Dawn Park, Boksburg.
- Injuries: Major-General Fred Kekana said the woman appeared to have a stab wound to her side and an injury to her throat. Her official cause of death is still awaiting forensic confirmation.
- Body believed dumped: Preliminary police findings indicate the woman was killed elsewhere before her body was left in Dawn Park.
- Nine deaths: The discovery brings the number of women’s bodies found across Ekurhuleni since July to nine.
- Investigation widened: Police have added the Dawn Park case to the multidisciplinary investigation examining the deaths of women across Ekurhuleni.
- No confirmed serial killer: Investigators are examining possible connections, but police have not established that all nine deaths are linked or committed by one offender.
- Information appeal: Anyone with information can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or submit an anonymous tip through the MySAPS app.
[BREAKING] A ninth womanâs body has been found in Dawn Park, Ekurhuleni. The body was discovered semi-naked and wrapped in a sheet. Tune in to #eNCA on DStv403 for the latest updates pic.twitter.com/zO5vihplY0
â eNCA (@eNCA) September 17, 2026
The woman was found in bushes on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Acting Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Major-General Fred Kekana said preliminary indications were that she had been killed elsewhere and her body dumped in Dawn Park.
The discovery means police are now examining nine womenâs deaths reported across Ekurhuleni since July. Investigators are looking for possible links, but have not confirmed that all nine cases are connected or that a single offender is responsible.
Dawn Park discovery opens another crime scene
The latest woman had not been publicly identified when police announced the discovery. Investigators must establish who she was, her cause of death, where she was killed and how her body reached Dawn Park.
That last question could prove particularly important because the location where a body is discovered does not necessarily reveal where the crime occurred.
An SABC News report on the Dawn Park investigation cited police confirmation of the ninth discovery and the preliminary assessment that the body had been dumped.
Three women have been publicly identified
Among the victims publicly identified are Itumeleng Kekana, 32; Elizabeth âTsontsoâ Moselakgomo, 38; and Dineo Evelyn Motapane, 38.
Kekanaâs body was found in Pomona in August after her family had searched for her following her disappearance.
Moselakgomo was found in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park, on September 12. Her family later identified her.
Motapane was found in KwaThema, Springs, on September 15 and identified by her family at Springs Mortuary the following day. Police said she had last been seen alive on the previous Sunday.
Deaths stretch back to July
The wider investigation dates to July 15, when a 37-year-old woman was found dead in an open field near the R21 in Kempton Park. Police subsequently arrested a suspect in connection with that specific case.
Further discoveries followed in areas including Pomona, Kempton Park, Clayville, Olifantsfontein, Rhodesfield and KwaThema before Thursdayâs Dawn Park case.
Several women were found naked or partially clothed, while injuries were reported in some cases. Other bodies were discovered in circumstances suggesting they may have been dumped.
Those similarities are among the details investigators can compare, but they do not on their own prove the deaths are connected.
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Police have not confirmed a serial killer
Questions about a possible serial offender have intensified as the number of cases has risen. Police have urged caution, saying forensic evidence and individual case investigations must establish whether links actually exist.
A multidisciplinary team involving detectives, crime intelligence, forensic specialists, tracking teams and other specialised resources is examining locations, timelines, victim profiles and evidence from the different scenes.
One suspect has been arrested in connection with the first July case, while police have also pursued another person of interest in relation to a specific investigation. Neither development establishes responsibility for the wider group of deaths.
R400,000 reward as police increase operations
Police have offered a R400,000 reward for information that could help solve the Ekurhuleni cases and lead to arrests.
SAPS has also increased operational activity in affected areas, including deployments under Operation Shanela. Police previously said 17 women had been reported missing in the Kempton Park area since January and that 13 had subsequently been found and reunited with their families.
Authorities have urged families to report missing relatives without delay and asked anyone with relevant information to contact police.
Families await answers as investigation widens
The expansion from Kempton Park to Olifantsfontein, KwaThema and Dawn Park makes reconstructing each womanâs movements increasingly important. Investigators must determine which similarities represent genuine forensic links and which may be coincidental.
Identification can be especially important in complex death investigations. South African authorities faced similar challenges establishing movements and circumstances after two tourists were found dead near Kruger National Park.
Investigations involving multiple missing people can also produce large amounts of evidence that must be separated into individual timelines, as seen in the investigation involving five missing women linked to a Philadelphia home.
For Dawn Park, police now need to identify the ninth woman and determine where she died. Any forensic connection to earlier cases could significantly change the direction of the investigation, but until that evidence emerges, the nine deaths should not be presented as the confirmed work of one offender.
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