True Crime Commentator Maps Timeline of Murders As 7th Body Added to Ekurhuleni Investigation

True Crime Commentator Maps Timeline of Murders As 7th Body Added to Ekurhuleni Investigation

  • True crime commentator Bella Monsoon raised urgent questions about the Ekurhuleni killings after a sixth body was discovered on 15 September 2026
  • SAPS confirmed a seventh victim had also been found, expanding the probe across Kempton Park, Springs, and Tembisa
  • A multidisciplinary task team was formed, but a forensic DNA backlog of 300,000 exhibits raised fears that key evidence could take up to 800 days to process
A post.
True crime commentator Bella Monsoon on the left and a SAPS police vehicle next to a crime scene on the right. Images: BellaMonsoon/Facebook
Source: Facebook

True crime commentator and activist Bella Monsoon sounded the alarm on 15 September 2026 after a sixth woman was found dead in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. Within hours, police confirmed a seventh body had also been recovered, widening a deeply troubling investigation that has gripped the country.

Monsoon, who has 26,000 followers on Facebook, shared a video breaking down the timeline and what is known of the cases. She wrote:

"I am tired of women being handed safety advice while institutions are handed patience."

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Police confirm seventh body linked to investigations into women’s murders in Ekurhuleni

What we know about the 7 Ekurhuleni victims

The bodies of six women were discovered across the Kempton Park and Ekurhuleni areas since July 2026, with most victims found naked or half-naked and bearing signs of sexual assault. The fifth victim was identified as 38-year-old jogger Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo, whose body was found in Rhodesfield on 14 September after a nationwide search appeal.

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The sixth body was found on the roadside in KwaThema, Springs, roughly 45 kilometres from the earlier crime scenes, naked and in early decomposition.

Hours later, acting Gauteng Police Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana confirmed a seventh victim had been found in Clayville, near Tembisa. That woman had actually been discovered on 7 September in a river but was only linked to the investigation after police reviewed records from surrounding stations. She was found with only her undergarments on, and no visible injuries were noted.

DNA backlog slows the investigation

SAPS has formed a multidisciplinary task team that includes detectives from the Murder and Robbery Unit and specialists from the Investigative Psychology Unit. However, a significant obstacle looms: South Africa's forensic labs are currently holding approximately 300,000 unprocessed exhibits, with an average wait of around 800 days before analysis.

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Ekurhuleni mayor responds after 6 women found dead across the metro

Monsoon pointed out that this delay creates a dangerous window where related cases can appear completely unconnected across different police stations. Forensic psychologist and former SAPS head profiler advised that investigators treat the cases as serial until evidence proves otherwise, noting that the label matters less than whether police are examining the cases together.

The Public Servants Association has demanded immediate action, questioning why it took seven to eight weeks before a public safety warning was issued. SAPS has since declared Rhodesfield a high-risk hotspot and urged women to avoid walking alone and to share their live locations with trusted contacts.

South Africans responding to Bella Monsoon's post reflected the growing fear and frustration:

@Annastasia Tucker asked:

"What can we do to get the DNA processed faster? Why does it take so long?"

@Monique Rossouw wrote:

"Now number 7...."

@Craig Stroud said:

"They should put a few undercover people along his route from the last location from now on and let them stay overnight, and when they see movement approach him. He obviously has a vehicle."

@Jessica Marnewick said:

"It's now 7."

@Bobby John added:

"This should be given top priority, get some real cops involved."

See the Facebook clip here:

More on the Ekurhuleni killings

Read also

6th body found in Kwa-Thema may be linked to 5 Kempton Park murders, SAPS says

  • Briefly News recently reported on an actress and activist's pushback against advice urging women to take extra precautions, arguing the threat goes far beyond one suspect.
  • An entire community gathered outside a police station demanding justice, carrying placards reading "Enough is Enough" and "Stop Femicide."
  • A metro mayor's response to the deaths of six women across the region, as a task team races to determine whether the cases are connected had Mzansi's attention.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Nerissa Naidoo avatar

Nerissa Naidoo (Human Interest Editor) Nerissa Naidoo is a journalist and editor with seven years of publishing experience, specialising in human-interest features, societal developments, and breaking crime updates for Briefly News. Having worked as a copy editor and content accuracy specialist for international publications like National Today and Entail.ai, Nerissa applies rigorous fact-checking and ethical standards to sensitive news stories, including police updates, community affairs, and public safety reporting.  Contact: nerissa.naidoo@briefly.co.za