South African authorities have recovered the body of a ninth woman in the Ekurhuleni area, east of Johannesburg, amid a string of unexplained female deaths that has triggered a safety warning from the Nigerian Consulate-General in Johannesburg.
The latest body was discovered by the roadside in Dawn Park on Thursday, prompting renewed concern as police intensify efforts to establish whether the deaths are connected.
“We cannot continue picking up bodies,” Deputy Police Chief Tebello Mosikili told journalists.
Police have imposed a lockdown in Kempton Park and established roadblocks following the discovery of three partially naked bodies earlier in the week.
Authorities have announced a 400,000-rand ($25,000) reward for information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible. South Africa’s Democratic Alliance has also offered an additional $31,000.
Mosikili said investigators were yet to determine whether the latest case formed part of the earlier deaths or involved a copycat offender.
The Nigerian Consulate-General, in a September 16 advisory, said eight women had died in and around Ekurhuleni over a period of about two months. It said a specialised, multi-agency team had been assigned to investigate the cases.
According to the mission, investigators had noticed “concerning similarities” in some of the incidents and were working to determine whether there was a connection.
However, the consulate stressed that South African police had neither established that one person was responsible for the deaths nor confirmed that a serial killer was involved.
The latest discovery takes the number of women found dead in the wider series to nine, although authorities have not confirmed that all the cases are linked.
Among the victims was 38-year-old Elizabeth Moselakgomo, who reportedly left home to jog and did not return. Her body was later found behind a hotel on September 12.
Her disappearance generated widespread attention after fellow runners launched a social media campaign seeking information about her whereabouts.
The earliest reported case involved a 37-year-old woman whose naked and bound body was discovered on July 15. Police subsequently arrested a suspect, who appeared in court on Wednesday. Mosikili identified the suspect as a foreign national but did not reveal his nationality.
Another woman, aged 32, was found partially clothed on August 24, while a separate victim was discovered naked and badly decomposed on September 10.
Following the developments, the Nigerian mission urged citizens, especially women and girls who live, work, study, exercise or frequently pass through Kempton Park, Rhodesfield and neighbouring parts of Ekurhuleni, to remain particularly vigilant.
It advised Nigerians against walking or jogging alone in isolated or poorly lit locations and encouraged people to exercise or travel in groups whenever possible.
The consulate also urged residents to vary their routes and routines, stay aware of their surroundings and limit distractions from headphones and mobile phones when in areas with little visibility or pedestrian activity.
Nigerians were further advised to keep trusted relatives or friends informed about their movements, including their destination, route and expected return time.
The mission warned against sharing unverified photographs, videos, names, voice notes or allegations about supposed suspects, noting that such material could interfere with investigations and wrongly implicate innocent people.
It said the advisory was issued to promote awareness and reasonable safety measures rather than create panic or restrict Nigerians’ lawful movement.
The consulate also clarified that responsibility for preventing violence should not be shifted to women, stressing that safety measures could not replace effective policing, investigations and accountability.
The mission noted that wider crime levels in Gauteng remained a concern, citing SAPS figures which recorded 1,223 murders, 2,369 sexual offences and 39,094 contact crimes against persons in the province between January and March 2026.
It, however, stated that those figures did not establish a link between the eight earlier deaths and any specific crime pattern.
The Nigerian mission expressed sympathy to the families of the deceased and called on anyone with useful information to contact the South African Police Service directly instead of posting allegations online.
It said it would continue working with relevant South African authorities and the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria as the investigation progresses.
For Nigerians affected by a serious incident, the consulate provided its community line, +27627642412, and email address, [email protected].
The development comes after separate killings of two Nigerians in South Africa, Bishop Michael Fakunle and James Nwankwo, which had also generated concern among Nigerians.
Asked for an update on Thursday, Nigeria’s Consul-General in South Africa, Prof Bobby Moroe, declined to comment, saying:
“Greetings, I cannot comment until the investigations are concluded.”
