South African police have recovered the body of a ninth woman in the Ekurhuleni area of Gauteng, as a series of unexplained deaths involving women triggered heightened security measures and a safety alert from the Nigerian Consulate-General in Johannesburg.
The latest body was discovered by the roadside in Dawn Park, east of Johannesburg, on Thursday, amid investigations into several women whose bodies had been found in the area in recent weeks.
Deputy Police Chief, Tebello Mosikili, told journalists that authorities had imposed a lockdown in Kempton Park and established roadblocks following the discovery of three partially naked bodies earlier in the week.
“We cannot continue picking up bodies,” Mosikili said, adding that investigators would establish whether the latest death was connected to the previous cases or involved a copycat offender.
Police have announced a 400,000-rand reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible, while South Africa’s Democratic Alliance pledged an additional $31,000.
The Nigerian Consulate-General, in a safety advisory dated September 16, said eight women had died in separate incidents over about two months in and around Ekurhuleni, with the South African Police Service investigating the cases.
The mission said a multidisciplinary team comprising specialised law enforcement personnel had been deployed and investigators had identified concerning similarities in some of the cases.
However, it stressed that the police had not established that the deaths were linked to one person or confirmed the existence of a serial killer.
One of the victims, 38-year-old Elizabeth Moselakgomo, reportedly left home to go jogging but failed to return. Her body was later found behind a hotel on September 12.
Her disappearance generated public concern after fellow runners launched a social media campaign to locate her, drawing attention to earlier cases and subsequent discoveries of other bodies.
Police said the first victim, a 37-year-old woman, was found naked and restrained with cable ties on July 15. A suspect was arrested two days later and appeared in court on Wednesday. Mosikili described the suspect as a foreign national but did not disclose his nationality.
Another 32-year-old woman was found partially clothed on August 24, while a further victim was discovered naked and in an advanced state of decomposition on September 10.
The Nigerian mission urged Nigerians, particularly women and girls living, working, studying, exercising or frequently travelling around Kempton Park, Rhodesfield and other parts of Ekurhuleni, to remain vigilant.
It advised residents to avoid walking, jogging or exercising alone in isolated, poorly lit or unfamiliar locations, including open fields and secluded pathways.
The consulate also encouraged Nigerians to move in groups where possible, vary their routes and schedules, remain conscious of their surroundings and avoid prolonged use of headphones or mobile phones in areas with limited pedestrian activity.
It urged Nigerians to inform relatives, friends or other trusted persons of their destinations, routes and expected return times.
The mission warned against circulating unverified photographs, names, videos, voice notes or allegations identifying alleged suspects or linking unrelated incidents, saying such actions could interfere with investigations and cause harm to innocent people.
The consulate said the advisory was not intended to create panic or restrict Nigerians’ lawful movement but to encourage reasonable precautions while investigations continued.
It further stressed that the safety measures should not be interpreted as shifting responsibility for preventing violence to women, noting that effective policing, investigation and accountability remained essential.
The mission also raised concerns about the broader crime situation in Gauteng, citing South African Police Service statistics which recorded 1,223 murders, 2,369 sexual offences and 39,094 contact crimes against persons in the province between January and March 2026.
However, it noted that the figures did not establish a link between the deaths of the women and any particular crime pattern.
The consulate expressed condolences to the families of the victims and urged anyone with credible information to report directly to the SAPS instead of sharing unverified claims on social media.
It said it would continue to monitor the situation and work with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and relevant South African authorities.
When contacted on Thursday, Nigeria’s Consul-General in South Africa, Prof Bobby Moroe, declined to comment on the latest development, saying investigations had to be concluded first.