South Africans Slam SAPS for Bringing In Seasoned Investigators Only After 8 Ekurhuleni Women Killed
- The South African Police Service has announced that seasoned investigators will be brought in to probe the Ekurhuleni murders
- The decision was made after eight women's bodies were discovered dumped across Ekurhuleni within two months
- South Africans weighed in on the response, but many slammed the announcement, questioning why it took so long
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG — Seasoned investigators have been brought in to probe the deaths of eight women in Ekurhuleni, but South Africans are asking why only now.
Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia announced that a high-level multidisciplinary investigation team had been assembled to find those responsible for the deaths. The bodies of eight women were recovered across Ekurhuleni over a period of two months.
The victims' half-naked bodies were found in various locations, including on the sides of roads and in rivers. Several showed signs of sexual assault. Of the eight women, only two have been formally identified.
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Police have since offered a R400,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
Acting Police Minister vows to lock down Ekurhuleni
Addressing the media during a press briefing on 16 September 2026, Professor Cachalia stated that the investigators brought in have the experience and expertise required to handle multiple murder cases of this nature.
Cachalia also vowed to lock down Ekurhuleni in response to the ongoing emergency, signalling that authorities are treating the matter with heightened urgency. The deployment of seasoned investigators follows weeks of mounting public concern as the body count climbed.
South Africans slam delayed police response
The announcement drew sharp criticism online, with many questioning why it took eight deaths before specialist investigators were involved.
Kehitlhile Masisi wrote:
"Did it really have to cost 8 lives for seasoned investigators to be roped in?"
Michael Johnathan David echoed the sentiment:
"Imagine, it took eight deaths for them to wake up and do something."
Monwabisi Mabona added:
"Where were the investigators in the first place? The number of women who have passed on is 8 now."
Zane Condogiannis drew a historical comparison, writing:
"I'm afraid to say this, but if it took them a year in 1995 to catch Moses Sithole (38+ victims later), how long do you think it will take the current SAPS to catch this person?"
Linah Rani Mahotra Khoza offered her own theory:
"I feel like the serial killer is someone with experience. You would be surprised, but it might be someone who was part of the defence system or even a cop, if not a veteran. It's someone who knows how to eliminate fingerprints."
Criminologist weighs in on possibility of a serial killer
Briefly News reported that criminologist Professor Nirmala Gopal weighed in on the murders in Kempton Park.
Professor Gopal said that the pattern of killings involving the women was consistent with the work of a single perpetrator.
The police have urged caution against drawing premature conclusions, as the community has been gripped by fear.
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Source: Briefly News
