Chikunga urges families to check on relatives in Ekurhuleni — TimesLIVE
In South Africa’s Ekurhuleni municipality, Sindisiwe Chikunga, the minister in the presidency for women, youth and persons with disabilities, urged families to check on their female relatives and immediately report missing people to the police. The appeal came amid an investigation into the deaths of nine women whose bodies have been found in Ekurhuleni since July.
Call not to delay reporting
Chikunga addressed primarily people whose female relatives are in Ekurhuleni, including in the areas of Kempton Park, Kwa-Thema and Tembisa. She stressed that there is no need to wait 24 hours to file a missing-person report: early reporting enables police to begin searches and investigative action without delay.
Families are advised to provide police with a recent photograph of the missing person, a description, information about where they were last seen, and other details that may assist the investigation. According to TimesLIVE, at the time of the briefing, one of the nine bodies found had no corresponding missing-person report.
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Investigation and arrests
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide approved an emergency response strategy. It provides for strengthening the law-enforcement operation and for the coordination of a specialized multidisciplinary investigative team by the deputy national commissioner for detective services.
Chikunga urged people with information about the killings to pass it directly to investigators rather than share it on social media or in informal communities. According to her, unverified claims, graphic images and victims’ personal data may cause additional trauma to families, intensify fear and prejudice, or harm the investigation.
Three people — a man and two women — are expected to appear before the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court in connection with the murder of the ninth woman. Her body was found in an open area in Villa Liza near Dawn Park on September 17. Police have not yet established whether all nine murders are connected.
