Ramaphosa orders priority investigation into deaths of six women in South Africa
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has instructed law enforcement agencies to prioritize the investigation into the deaths of women in Kempton Park and its surrounding areas in Gauteng province. As TimesLIVE reports, the president said the authorities would make every effort to hold those responsible accountable.
Sixth body found in Springs
On Tuesday morning, the body of a sixth woman was discovered on the roadside in KwaThema, in the city of Springs. Springs is located in the Ekurhuleni metropolitan area east of Johannesburg, about 45 kilometres from Kempton Park. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, so the time of death has not yet been established.
According to national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, all six women were likely around 30 years old. Police have formed a multidisciplinary team to investigate the cases. Investigators have not yet established a link between the deceased women and continue to determine possible motives.
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Police checking for a possible link between the cases
Deputy National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili said investigators, intelligence officers, search teams and forensic experts are working to establish the circumstances of the deaths. She noted that police are checking whether one person or a group of people could have been involved in the crimes.
Mosikili said the investigation is examining the similar circumstances in which some of the women were found, but will not confirm a connection between the cases until all investigative and forensic procedures have been completed. She also urged men in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni and across the country to take more active action against violence against women.
Ramaphosa expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, including the relatives of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, whose identity was established on Monday. She was the mother of an eight-year-old daughter and disappeared after setting out for her usual run in her neighbourhood. The president urged citizens to provide police with any information that could help the investigation.
