South African police announced a reward of R400,000 (about $24,400) for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the deaths of nine women whose bodies were found at various locations, the acting National Police Commissioner, Puleng Dimpane, said at a media briefing on Tuesday, according to Africanews. The ninth body was found on the morning of the briefing, police said, according to Africanews. The discoveries were reported over a period of about two months. France 24 reported the body of a ninth woman was found in Johannesburg and that police had begun investigating a possible femicidal serial killer. Africanews placed the discoveries in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, and said the cases had prompted a high-level investigation and drawn attention to the country's rates of femicide and violent crime.
South African police offer reward after bodies of nine women found in Gauteng
South African police announced a reward of R400,000 (about $24,400) for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the deaths of nine women whose bodies were found at various locations, the acting National Police Commissioner, Puleng Dimpane, said at a media briefing on Tuesday, according to Africanews. The ninth body was found on the morning of the briefing, police said, according to Africanews. The discoveries were reported over a period of about two months. France 24 reported the body of a ninth woman was found in Johannesburg and that police had begun investigating a possible femicidal serial killer. Africanews placed the discoveries in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, and said the cases had prompted a high-level investigation and drawn attention to the country's rates of femicide and violent crime.
Africanews reported that the reward was announced during a media briefing on Tuesday. Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane said: "There is 400,000 ($24,400) that we are putting on the table. So that we are able to strengthen our investigations."
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said at the briefing that a high-level multidisciplinary team had been set up under the leadership of the deputy provincial commissioner to lead the investigation, according to Africanews. He said: "We will leave no stone unturned. To bring the culprits to book."
Africanews reported that police are appealing for information and have warned women to avoid walking or exercising alone, particularly in isolated areas. Police also said that although they do not want to treat the cases as linked incidents until investigations prove otherwise, they need all the help they can get.
France 24 described the case in its programme listing as the discovery of a ninth woman's body in Johannesburg, with South African police starting to investigate a potential femicidal serial killer.
An Africanews photograph caption dated Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, showed a forensic officer working at the scene where a sixth body, believed to be that of a woman, was found along a road in KwaThema, Springs, South Africa.
Where sources differ
- Location: France 24 reports the ninth body was found in Johannesburg, while Africanews reports the nine bodies were discovered at various locations in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, and its photograph caption places an earlier discovery in KwaThema, Springs.
- Characterisation of the cases: France 24 describes police as investigating a potential femicidal serial killer, while Africanews reports police saying they do not want to treat the cases as linked incidents until investigations prove otherwise.
- None of the sources establishes the identities, ages or nationalities of the nine women, nor the cause or manner of their deaths.
- None of the sources confirms whether the deaths are linked, or whether any suspect has been identified or arrested.
- No source states whether the reward has been claimed or by whom it is funded, beyond police saying it was being offered.
- None of the sources reports any comment from the families of the victims, women's organisations, or other civil society groups.
- Neither source states the exact dates or locations of all nine discoveries, or provides a full police account of the investigation's progress.
- No source indicates whether the unidentified perpetrator or perpetrators have been given any opportunity to respond, and they are not named or described by police in the supplied material.
- France 24 — original — by Georja CALVIN-SMITH
- Africanews — by [email protected] (Rédaction Africanews)
Read the original at France 24