10 Women Found Dead In Ekurhuleni: Is There A Serial Killer?

Crime in South Africa made international headlines this weekend after a 10th body was found within the Ekurhuleni municipality in Gauteng Province, east of Johannesburg. International travelers may recognize the area because O.R. Tambo International Airport is situated there.

The cases are not yet presumed to be linked to a single serial killer, and the ninth death resulted in the arrest of two female suspects.

Regarding the 10th woman, AFP reported that, “Provincial police chief Tommy Mthombeni said the victim appeared to have been stoned to death, and a post-mortem examination would be conducted to determine the cause of death.”

Meanwhile, per TimesLIVE, former SAPS investigative psychology chief and forensic psychologist Gérard Labuschagne suggested that the cases should be investigated as a possible serial murder case until evidence proves otherwise.

Police also arrested a man in connection with the first victim, who was found on July 15, naked and bound with cable ties. He hasn’t been charged at this time.

A Disturbing Pattern Emerges

The nine previous victims were mostly in their 20s and 30s, with some found stripped of their clothes and showing signs of sexual assault, per AFP.

Al Jazeera reported that the first three bodies were found within about six kilometres (4 miles) of each other, while six were discovered within only ten days in September.

In total, five victims were found in the Kempton Park area, two in Olifantsfontein, one in Kwa-Thema, one in Dawn Park/Boksburg and one in Thembisa South, near Mooifontein Cemetery.

CBS News reported that officers from the Investigative Psychology Unit, which specializes in complex or serial violent crimes, are part of the investigation.

TimesLIVE reported after the sixth woman was found that the chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, issued a statement.

He said, “SAPS has not said that all six cases are connected,” and that police had “established a multidisciplinary team involving specialist detectives, forensic experts, tracking capability, K9 resources and investigative psychology.”

Calls For A Permanent Serial Crime Team

Subsequently, IOL reported that a petition was launched calling for the immediate creation and permanent funding of a specialized serial crime task team.

It’s been about 20 years since police officers warned that the closure of specialized units such as the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units could “make it more difficult to track down serial killers and rapists.”

IOL reported in 2006 that Police Director Selby Bokaba attributed the decision to dismantle the FCS, Serious and Violent Crime, Area Crime Combating and National Intervention units to their low conviction rate.

Investigators warned at the time that decentralization could prevent police from recognizing that crimes investigated at different stations were the work of the same offender.

Specialist Investigators Are Back On The Case

In the current investigation, Gov.za confirmed that a multidisciplinary specialized team has been established and elevated to be coordinated by the Deputy National Commissioner: Detective Services.

Gérard Labuschagne says SAPS policy specifically provides for Investigative Psychology and trained serial-murder investigators to form a task team in circumstances like these.

Now, ten women have been found dead across Ekurhuleni. Investigators are once again determining whether separate murder dockets form part of a larger pattern.

The Ekurhuleni deaths investigation is being taken seriously by the police and the government, but it could take time to conclude. Whether the outcome results in changes or a permanent specialist team remains to be seen.

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