Dineo Evelyn Motapane Identified As Sixth Woman Found Dead in Ekurhuleni Since July 2026

• 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane has been identified as one of the eight women whose bodies were dumped around Ekurhuleni
• Motapane's body was dumped in Kwa-Thema on 15 September 2026, with officials reporting that it was in a state of decay
• South Africans weighed in on the confirmation, offering condolences and mourning the loss of another woman

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 — Police have confirmed the identity of the woman whose body was found on the side of a road in Kwa-Thema, Springs, on Tuesday, 15 September 2026.

The deceased has been officially identified as Dineo Evelyn Motapane, who was 38. Motapane's family made an identification at Springs Mortuary on Wednesday afternoon, a day after her body was found.

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Motapane was last seen alive on Sunday

According to the family, Motapane was last seen alive on Sunday, 13 September. By the time her body was discovered, relatives had not yet filed a missing persons report with police.

Her body was found in a state of decomposition, and she is reported to be the sixth woman whose remains have been discovered in the Ekurhuleni area since July 2026. A total of eight bodies have since been found.

How did South Africans react?

The discovery has prompted an outpouring of grief and alarm on social media, with many South Africans drawing attention to what they fear may be a pattern of killings targeting women in the region.

@SimandManzini wrote:

"Clearly the serial killer or killers have changed location, and we have Panyaza talking about locking down Kempton Park. Here is a fresh lead they use to apprehend the suspects."

@Luna2684jdzh said:

"We're mourning the loss of a different woman every single day."

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@mandlabafo commented:

"The killers are panicking and spreading the area by dumping bodies in many places to disrupt investigations."

@marilynmthabela wrote:

"Condolences to the family. May the killer never find peace."

@LeratoPhoko1 added:

"We no longer have words. Condolences to the family."

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.

Source: Briefly News