The discovery of a ninth woman’s body in Ekurhuleni has intensified pressure on police to find those responsible for a string of deaths that has left communities across the East Rand fearful and demanding answers.

The unidentified body was discovered in Dawn Park on Thursday morning, bringing to nine the number of women’s bodies recovered in Ekurhuleni over the past two months.

According to Major General Fred Kekana, preliminary indications suggest the body was dumped at the scene.

The woman was found partially naked and wrapped in a sheet on the side of the road.

The latest discovery has now been formally added to the investigations into the deaths of women across the Ekurhuleni district.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the office of the Acting Provincial Commissioner confirmed that a multidisciplinary team of experts had already been mobilised to work on the cases.

“The incident will be added to the investigations into the deaths of women in Ekurhuleni,” police said.

The team has been tasked with working on the individual cases, identifying those responsible and ensuring that suspects are eventually brought before court.

The latest discovery comes barely a day after police confirmed the identification of another victim, 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, whose body was found on the side of a road in KwaThema, Springs.

Motapane’s family positively identified her body at the Springs Mortuary on Wednesday.

According to police, she was last seen alive on Sunday. Her family had not reported her missing at the time her body was discovered.

Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane expressed her condolences to the Motapane family and assured residents that police investigations into the deaths were being intensified.

The latest body has, however, renewed questions about whether enough is being done to prevent further killings.

Residents have taken to social media to express anger and fear, with some questioning why women continue to be found dead despite an increased police presence.

Some have also questioned whether the similarities between the cases could point to more than one perpetrator.

One social media user said the fact that the latest victim was wrapped in a sheet could potentially provide investigators with clues about how her body was transported and dumped.

Another questioned whether the killings could involve a group of people.

A third asked what police were doing to protect communities and called for more patrols across Ekurhuleni.

The comments reflect the growing anxiety in communities where women are worried about becoming the next victim.

But police have not confirmed that the nine deaths were committed by one person.

The possibility of a serial killer or killers has been widely raised in public discussions because of similarities in some of the cases, including women being found partially or completely naked and bodies being abandoned in different parts of Ekurhuleni.

Investigators have not ruled out possible links, but neither have they confirmed that the deaths form part of one coordinated series.

The latest discovery therefore presents investigators with another crime scene to process for possible forensic evidence, fingerprints, DNA and other information that could help establish what happened to the victim.

Police have appealed to residents with information to come forward.

Members of the public can contact the Crime Stop line on 08600 10111 or submit anonymous information through the MySAPS App.

Police said all information received would be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

The pressure on law enforcement has already resulted in a major security response in Kempton Park and surrounding areas.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi previously announced intensified law enforcement operations following the deaths of women in the area, while Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said Kempton Park would effectively be placed under a lockdown-style intensified operation.

The response includes increased police visibility and Operation Shanela deployments, with law enforcement agencies working together to identify suspects and gather information.

The government has also announced a R400,000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

The latest body was discovered after those measures were announced, increasing pressure on authorities to demonstrate that the intensified operation can produce results.

Among the victims whose deaths have attracted national attention is 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo.

Moselakgomo disappeared on September 9 after leaving her Kempton Park home for an afternoon run. Her body was discovered on September 12.

Her death shocked the running community and sparked a series of tributes from fellow runners, while her family called for justice.

Her case also highlighted concerns about women’s safety in public spaces, particularly those who run or walk alone.

Motapane’s death has added another grieving family to the investigation.

Now, with the Dawn Park discovery, detectives have nine cases to examine as they work to establish the identities of victims, reconstruct their final movements and determine whether there are links between the deaths.

The investigation is taking place against a backdrop of growing public frustration.

For many residents, the question is no longer only whether the killings are connected.

It is whether police can stop another woman from becoming a victim.

The discovery of the ninth body means another family will now have to wait for answers about what happened to their loved one.

Police have urged residents not to rely on speculation circulating on social media, but to provide investigators with information that can be verified and used as evidence.

For now, the identity of the Dawn Park victim remains unknown.

Her death has nevertheless become the latest case in an investigation that has already stretched across several parts of Ekurhuleni.

Nine women are now dead.

The challenge facing investigators is to establish how they died, whether their cases are connected and, most importantly, who is responsible.

The nine women

• Dawn Park victim: Unidentified. Her body was discovered on September 17, partially naked and wrapped in a sheet.
• Dineo Evelyn Motapane, 38: Found in KwaThema, Springs. Her family positively identified her body on September 16.
• Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, 38: The runner disappeared after leaving home for an afternoon run. Her body was found on September 12.
• Itumeleng Kekana, 32: Her body was discovered in Kempton Park and was later identified.
• 37-year-old unidentified woman: Her body was found in Kempton Park in July. A suspect was arrested in connection with the case.
• Unidentified victim: One of the women whose body was recovered during the wider Ekurhuleni investigation.
• Unidentified victim: Another woman whose body was recovered as investigators expanded the probe.
• Unidentified victim: A further woman found dead in the Ekurhuleni area.
• Unidentified victim: Another woman whose death forms part of the wider investigation.

Police are continuing to work to establish the identities of the remaining victims and whether the cases are connected.