Police are investigating the death of a woman whose body was discovered in Dawn Park, Boksburg, on Thursday morning, bringing to nine the number of women whose bodies have been found across parts of Ekurhuleni since July.
The latest victim was found half-naked and wrapped in a sheet beside a road in Dawn Park. Her identity has not yet been released.
The discovery has heightened concern among residents, with communities in Boksburg and surrounding areas calling for answers and increased efforts to protect women.
Police, however, have cautioned against drawing conclusions about the deaths before investigations are completed. Authorities have not established whether the cases are connected or whether a serial killer is responsible.
A multidisciplinary team comprising detectives, intelligence officers, forensic experts and other specialists has been assembled to investigate the deaths and determine whether links exist between the cases.
The first of the nine bodies was discovered in Kempton Park on July 15. A suspect was arrested two days later in connection with that case and remains in custody, but police have not linked the suspect to the other deaths.
Other bodies were subsequently discovered in areas including Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Clayville and KwaThema.
Authorities are also pursuing a person of interest, although they have not disclosed which case or cases that individual may be connected to.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has urged caution over speculation surrounding the deaths, saying investigators were dealing with what appeared, at this stage, to be “quite distinct, separate events”.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed that “no stone will be left unturned” in efforts to find those responsible for the killings, which he said were causing fear and uncertainty in communities.
Authorities have offered a R400,000 reward for information that could lead to arrests and have appealed to families with missing relatives to assist with the identification of the remaining victims.
The Dawn Park discovery comes as police continue efforts to establish whether the deaths are isolated incidents or whether there are links between some of the cases.