Gauteng police have opened an inquest docket after a female body was discovered in a dam in Moroka, Soweto. Image: Supplied
Gauteng police have opened an inquest docket after a woman’s body was found in a dam in Moroka, Soweto. The woman body found in Soweto comes amid a series of killings of women in neighbouring Ekurhuleni that has gripped Gauteng since July 2026. Police confirmed the find and say the circumstances surrounding the death remain unknown at this stage.
The Soweto discovery follows nine women found dead in Ekurhuleni over a two month period. The first body appeared on 15 July 2026. Since then, investigators have uncovered remains across a string of locations, primarily on the outskirts of Johannesburg. All nine women were between 20 and 38 years old. Police found them naked or partially clothed, and some showed similar bruising patterns.
Furthermore, investigators noted that several bodies showed signs of violence. One victim had her hands bound with cable ties. The ninth body, found in Dawn Park on 17 September 2026, had a stab wound and a cut throat. Police believe the killer or killers murdered that victim elsewhere and dumped her body in Dawn Park. A multidisciplinary team of detectives is working across all the cases.
Police yet to link woman body found in Soweto to Ekurhuleni cases
Importantly, police have not linked the Moroka discovery to the Ekurhuleni killings. Soweto falls under the City of Johannesburg, and investigators are treating the case separately through an inquest.
Authorities have also not confirmed a serial killer in Ekurhuleni, but they say the similarities across those cases concern them. According to police, investigators are examining all possibilities, including multiple suspects or separate perpetrators. Earlier in the investigation, police arrested a man believed to be a victim’s boyfriend but later released him without charge.
President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged that no stone will be left unturned in the investigation. The government is offering a R400,000 reward for information leading to arrests. In addition, police have advised women in affected areas to avoid going out alone and urged the public to share tips in confidence through the MySAPS app.
The killings have prompted national outrage and calls for faster action from law enforcement. Meanwhile, the Soweto inquest adds to growing fear among women across Gauteng as police work to establish what happened in Moroka.
Read more