South African president vows justice as more women's bodies found near Johannesburg

What the report says

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that investigators will leave “no stone unturned” after the discovery of another woman’s body near Kempton Park, north-east of Johannesburg, brought the number of deaths police are examining to seven. The BBC reports that the killings span roughly the past two months and have shaken communities in the area, which lies close to the country’s main international airport.

Police said they are not yet treating the case as the work of a serial killer, but they are looking into whether a group of people may be responsible. A police spokesperson said there was still no confirmed link between the deaths, though authorities have not ruled out a copycat pattern. One person has been arrested in connection with the first body found and remains in custody.

So far, only two of the victims have been identified. One was Elizabeth Moselakgomo, a 38-year-old runner whose disappearance last week prompted a public search before her body was found on Saturday. Her family identified her on Monday. The BBC also reported that the body of a woman found earlier in September is now being included in the investigation.

The killings have intensified fear and anger in South Africa, where gender-based violence is widely viewed as a serious national problem. Police have urged women in the Kempton Park area to avoid walking or running alone, especially in isolated places, while gender equality officials called on residents to help find those responsible.