Police found a ninth woman’s body in Dawn Park, Ekurhuleni on Thursday morning 17 September 2026. The ninth woman body Dawn Park Ekurhuleni discovery brings the total to nine women found dead across the east of Gauteng since July. Furthermore, Gauteng acting provincial commissioner Major General Fred Kekana confirmed the body was dumped at the scene. Someone left the semi-naked body wrapped in a sheet on the roadside. As a result, the Ekurhuleni murder crisis now spans Kempton Park, Pomona, Rhodesfield, Olifantsfontein, Clayville, Kwa-Thema and Dawn Park.
Kekana confirmed the woman is estimated to be in her 30s. Police had not confirmed her identity at the time of publication. The incident did not happen at the location where police found the body. Furthermore, police added the Dawn Park discovery to the broader Ekurhuleni investigation. As a result, investigators now face the task of establishing whether nine deaths share a common perpetrator or represent separate incidents with similar circumstances.
Two of the earlier victims have been identified since Tuesday. Her family identified Dineo Evelyn Motapane, 38, at the Springs Mortuary on Wednesday 16 September 2026. Her family found her body on the roadside in Kwa-Thema, Springs on Tuesday. Police said Motapane was last seen alive on Sunday. Her family had not yet reported her missing when police found her body. Furthermore, Diepkloof Community Radio confirmed the first Kempton Park victim as Nqobile Mahlangu. As a result, South Africa now has names for two more of the nine victims.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the Dawn Park scene on Thursday morning. He told reporters that police are pursuing leads and making progress in two or three cases. He urged the public to give investigators time to gather evidence before drawing conclusions. Furthermore, Lesufi issued a direct warning to whoever is responsible. “They’ve declared war against the state. We’ll respond,” Lesufi said. As a result, Gauteng’s political and policing leadership is now directly present at active crime scenes as the investigation intensifies.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia confirmed this week that police will place Kempton Park and surrounding areas under lockdown through Operation Shanela. The investigation team includes detectives, forensic experts, crime intelligence officers, tracking teams, K9 units and the Investigative Psychology Unit. SAPS and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department are working jointly. Furthermore, SAPS has not established a link between all nine deaths and a single offender. As a result, investigators are working each case individually while staying alert to connections between them.
Nine bodies have turned up across Ekurhuleni since July 2026. Police found Nqobile Mahlangu near the R21 in Kempton Park on 15 July. Police found Itumeleng Kekana, 32, on Great North Road in Pomona on 3 August. A third victim appeared near the R21 on 24 August. More bodies followed in Rhodesfield in September. Another body appeared in Olifantsfontein. A seventh case involves a woman found in a river in Clayville near Tembisa Mall on 7 September. Dineo Evelyn Motapane appeared in Kwa-Thema on 15 September. Police added an eighth body from Olifantsfontein to the investigation. The ninth body is the Dawn Park discovery on Thursday 17 September 2026. Furthermore, Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane confirmed a R400,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. As a result, SAPS urges anyone with information to contact Warrant Officer Elvis Manyike on 082 465 7249.
Read more: SAPS Offers R400,000 Reward for Information in Ekurhuleni Women Murders