The investigation into the deaths of eight women whose bodies have been discovered in and around Ekurhuleni has intensified, with police offering a R400,000 reward for information while government officials met affected families and visited locations linked to the killings.

Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Lydia Chikunga on Wednesday visited the family of 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, as well as the site in Kempton Park where her body was discovered.

Chikunga laid a wreath at the site in memory of Moselakgomo, whose death has become one of the most widely mourned cases in the investigation.

Moselakgomo, a runner, disappeared after leaving home for a run. Her eight-year-old daughter was among those who raised the alarm about her disappearance.

Her body was later positively identified by her family at the Germiston mortuary. SAPS Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane previously expressed condolences to the family and vowed that investigators would pursue those responsible.

The visit came as authorities face mounting pressure to establish whether the deaths are connected and to identify those responsible.

Police announced on Tuesday night that an eighth woman had been found dead, taking the number of women whose deaths are being investigated to eight.

The latest victim was found in the Clayville River, opposite Thembisa Mall in the Olifantsfontein area, according to Dimpane.

Police have stressed that they have not yet established that all eight cases are linked.

Dimpane said a specialised multidisciplinary team had been established to investigate the deaths, bringing together provincial and Ekurhuleni crime intelligence structures, detectives and other specialised resources.

One person has been arrested in connection with one of the cases, while police are also pursuing another person of interest. Investigators are examining possible links between the cases but have cautioned against drawing conclusions before forensic and investigative processes are completed.

Only two of the eight victims have so far been formally identified, according to police.

The bodies have been found in different parts of Ekurhuleni, including Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein and KwaThema. Some of the victims were found partially clothed or naked, while police have not disclosed all forensic findings as the investigations continue.

The discovery of the bodies has prompted an expanded policing operation in the affected areas.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said police visibility would be increased through Operation Shanela in Kempton Park and surrounding areas. He said residents would see an increased law enforcement presence in the coming weeks as authorities intensify efforts to find those responsible.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has also directed that the investigations be prioritised.

In a statement on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said law enforcement agencies were working urgently to establish the facts, protect communities and bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice. He appealed to members of the public to provide information that could assist investigators.

The police reward is now being accompanied by a separate R500,000 offer announced by the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The DA said it would offer R500,000 for information that leads to the successful criminal prosecution of the person responsible for the murders.

The party said the reward is intended to supplement the police investigation. Importantly, it said it would not accept direct tip-offs. Information must first be formally reported to the South African Police Service, with proof that the information was lodged with police required before the reward would be considered.

The announcement was made by DA Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane MPL, but the reward itself is framed by the party as an additional contribution towards information gathering rather than a replacement for the official investigation.

With both SAPS and the DA now offering financial incentives for information, members of the public with potentially useful information are being urged to approach police rather than circulate unverified claims on social media.

The CRL Rights Commission has also joined growing calls for urgent action, condemning the killings and calling for accountability.

The commission said the deaths were a violation of the rights to life, dignity and safety and called on law enforcement agencies to prioritise the investigations and apprehend those responsible.

It also urged cultural, religious, traditional and community leaders, civil society organisations, families, men and boys to take a stronger stand against gender-based violence and reject what it described as a culture of silence around abuse.

The commission’s intervention comes as it participates with the Commission for Gender Equality and South African Human Rights Commission in a Joint National Inquiry into Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

For Moselakgomo’s family, however, the investigation is deeply personal.

Her death has left behind an eight-year-old daughter who first helped bring attention to her mother’s disappearance.

The Department of Social Development has offered psychosocial support and trauma counselling to the family, with Minister Dina Pule visiting them and saying the child needed care and support following the loss of her mother.

Moselakgomo’s death has also resonated strongly among fellow runners. Community members and supporters gathered in Kempton Park on Tuesday for a march and candlelight tribute, with runners and residents demanding justice for her and the other women whose lives have been lost.

As investigators work to identify the remaining victims and establish whether the cases are connected, police have urged families who have relatives whose whereabouts are unknown to report them missing.

For authorities, the immediate task is to turn the growing public concern and information coming from communities into evidence that can identify suspects and support criminal prosecutions.

For the families, the priority is more personal: names for the unidentified women, answers about what happened to their loved ones, and justice for those who will never return home.