“We Need the FBI”: Possibility of a Serial Killer in SA Makes It to US News, SA Rattled

• A US news outlet reported on the discovery of a ninth woman's body near Kempton Park, Gauteng, within two months
• President Cyril Ramaphosa issued an official statement, directing law enforcement to make the case a priority
• South Africans were stunned to see the killings receive international coverage, with many calling for specialised forces to be brought in

A Gauteng killing spree has caught the attention of the international media. US-based news outlet LiveNOW from FOX aired a segment on 17 September 2026 on their TikTok account @livenowfox, covering the discovery of a ninth woman's body in the Kempton Park area within two months, raising fears of a serial killer operating in the east of Johannesburg.

The report included local footage and an official presidential response. President Cyril Ramaphosa extended his condolences to the families of the victims, confirmed that law enforcement had been directed to treat the case as a priority, and urged members of the public to come forward with any information that could help investigators.

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Kempton Park killings draw global attention

The fact that the story crossed the Atlantic and made it onto American television left many South Africans unsettled. Several viewers were struck by how an area not typically associated with high-profile crime had become the centre of an international news story. Residents and online commenters questioned why authorities had not yet made an arrest or set up roadblocks to help identify a suspect.

Watch the LiveNOW from FOX segment that sparked the conversation in the TikTok video below:

Mzansi calls for help from abroad

For women across the country, the report hit close to home. The fear surrounding the killings extended well beyond Kempton Park, with many South Africans expressing a sense of helplessness and calling on the government to deploy more specialised resources to crack the case. South African viewers flooded the comments section on @livenowfox's TikTok with their reactions:

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@S I N D I 🌸🩷 wrote:

"Can you guys borrow us S.W.A.T 😭."

@Baby_Lawyer said:

"Yoh! The news has made its way to America 🙆‍♀️."

@Bongi🇿🇦 added:

"We need the FBI 😭."

@LungyGumede🌹🌸 shared:

"That time Kempton Park is not even a big town. They are failing to do a roadblock and catch the killer."

@Lindawyk wrote:

"Thank you for standing up for us women in South Africa 😭. We are extremely scared 😭."

3 more articles about the Ekurhuleni murders

• Briefly News reported that Kempton Park residents picketed outside their local police station to demand justice and protection after five women were murdered in the area within two months.
• Kempton Park residents gathered in the streets for a candlelight vigil to honour Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo and demand justice following the tragic discovery of her body.
• A concerned community leader confronted Kempton Park SAPS over the deaths of five local women, sparking public outrage as he called out police inaction and demanded answers amid rising serial killer fears.

Source: Briefly News