Police have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of Jabulile Ntimba, the ninth woman whose body was discovered in the Dawn Park area of Ekurhuleni, as investigators continue probing a series of women’s deaths across the region.

The suspects, a man and two women, were arrested over the weekend by members of the Gauteng Murder and Robbery Unit.

They are expected to appear in the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where further details of the investigation are expected to emerge.

The arrests come four days after Ntimba’s body was discovered in Dawn Park on September 17.

The latest development has intensified attention on the investigation into nine women whose bodies have been discovered in different parts of Ekurhuleni and surrounding areas since July.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the arrests represented progress in one of the cases, while stressing that investigators were continuing to work on all nine murders.

“The police are seized with all nine murder cases, and each case is receiving priority attention. We remain committed to ensuring that these investigations are pursued with the urgency and determination they require,” Mathe said.

She said investigators were following available leads and working to bring those responsible to justice.

The ninth case has added to growing concern among residents following a succession of bodies found in Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Kwa-Thema and Dawn Park.

The deaths under investigation are:

Busisiwe Mahlangu, whose body was found in Kempton Park on July 15; Itumeleng Kekana, found in Kempton Park on August 3; and Nomfesane Mjobo, found in Kempton Park on August 26.

An unidentified woman was found floating in a river in the Olifantsfontein area on September 7.

Gracious Nkomo was found in Kempton Park on September 10, followed by 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo in the Kempton Park area on September 12.

A seventh woman, whose name has not been released because her family had not yet been informed, was found in Olifantsfontein on September 14.

Dineo Motapane was found in Kwa-Thema on September 15, while Ntimba was discovered in Dawn Park two days later.

Police have not publicly confirmed that all nine killings are linked, and investigations are continuing into the circumstances surrounding each death. The discovery of the bodies has nevertheless prompted a high-level response from law enforcement and government.

The latest arrests also came a day after Moselakgomo was laid to rest in Phake, Mpumalanga.

Moselakgomo, a 38-year-old mother and passionate runner, went missing after leaving home for her usual afternoon run. Her eight-year-old daughter, Khumo, raised the alarm when she failed to return. Her body was later identified at a Germiston mortuary.

At her funeral on Sunday, Khumo delivered a moving tribute to her mother, telling mourners about the pain of losing her and the memories she would carry as she grew up.

“I wish I could hug you. I wish you could be here,” the eight-year-old said, promising to keep her mother close in her heart.

The funeral brought together family, friends and members of Moselakgomo’s running community, who remembered her as a caring mother and passionate runner.

Her death had also sparked widespread concern after her disappearance was circulated on social media, with running clubs and community members joining the search.

The investigation into the nine deaths remains ongoing.

Police have urged anyone with information that could assist investigators to come forward as detectives work to establish what happened to each of the women and whether there are connections between the cases.

Further details surrounding the Dawn Park murder are expected to be ventilated when the three suspects appear in court on Monday.