South African Police Discover 11th Female Body Near Johannesburg Amid Rising Femicide Concerns

South African police have discovered the body of another woman east of Johannesburg, bringing the total number of female bodies found near the city since mid-July to 11. Police stated on Sunday that the latest victim was located in an open field in the Ekurhuleni municipality at approximately midday local time (10am GMT).

“A security company vehicle patrolling the area noticed the body and alerted the police,” said police spokeswoman Brigadier Brenda Muridili. Information regarding the woman’s identity, age, and cause of death was not immediately available.

Just one day prior, on Saturday, the body of a semi-naked woman was discovered near a cemetery in the same municipality. These latest discoveries have intensified growing concerns regarding violence against women in a nation long plagued by violent crime. While law enforcement works to determine whether the killings are linked, community members have expressed fears that a serial killer or group of killers may be responsible.

Provincial police chief Tommy Mthombeni noted that the victim found on Saturday appeared to have been stoned to death, though a post-mortem examination will be conducted to confirm the exact cause. Police reported that a man linked to the killing was apprehended nearly 400km (250 miles) away, raising the number of individuals in custody regarding the series of murders to four.

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the recovery of the 10th victim while campaigning for upcoming local elections, as reported by broadcaster eNCA. “I’ve sadly heard about 10th body of a woman found in Thembisa,” Ramaphosa stated on Saturday. “This continues to make us very sad, and in many ways, it’s a shame on the men of South Africa that we continue to kill the women of our beautiful country.”

South Africa maintains one of the highest femicide rates globally, averaging 15 women killed daily. Two women have been charged with the murder of the victim whose body was the ninth discovered on September 17, a killing police suggest may have stemmed from a relationship-related matter. Mthombeni informed state broadcaster SABC that investigators believe the ninth homicide was an isolated incident, though some of the other murders may share connections and similarities. However, he cautioned that no conclusive evidence currently proves the same person or group is responsible for all the deaths.

Police previously recovered three bodies in July and August within a 6km (4 miles) radius in Ekurhuleni, followed by the discovery of six bodies in a 10-span earlier this month in the same area. Prior to Saturday’s finding, all deceased women were in their 20s or 30s, with several located completely or partially naked. The initial body, found in mid-July, was naked and restrained with cable ties; the victim’s boyfriend was subsequently arrested, though no charges were filed.