South African police are investigating seven female deaths reported around Kempton Park, Rhodesfield, the R21 corridor and other parts of Ekurhuleni, although investigators have not established that the cases are connected.

JOHANNESBURG — South African police are investigating seven female deaths reported in and around Kempton Park, Rhodesfield, the R21 corridor and neighbouring parts of Ekurhuleni, raising concerns about whether a serial predator could be operating in the area.

As of September 15, 2026, investigators had brought seven cases involving female victims under the scope of an expanding investigation. However, police have stressed that there is no confirmed evidence that all the deaths are connected.

Only two of the victims had been positively identified at the latest police update.

The investigation began with the discovery of the body of a 37-year-old woman near the R21 on July 15. Police said the woman was found naked and restrained with cable ties. A suspect was arrested two days later and remains in custody.

On August 24, another woman, aged 32, was found partially clothed near the R21.

The investigation took another disturbing turn on September 10, when the decomposed and naked body of an unidentified woman was discovered.

The case of 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo has further heightened concerns among residents.

Moselakgomo disappeared after leaving her Rhodesfield home for a run. Her body was later discovered behind a hotel in Rhodesfield.

Another woman's body was subsequently found in Olifantsfontein, while police have also included a previously discovered female body near Clayville/Tembisa Mall in the investigation.

The growing number of cases has prompted authorities to examine whether the deaths share any common links.

Investigators are studying the victims' profiles, the locations where their bodies were found, timelines, forensic evidence and possible behavioural similarities.

A specialised multidisciplinary task team, including the Investigative Psychology Unit, has been deployed to assist with the investigation.

Despite the similarities, authorities have cautioned against prematurely describing the deaths as the work of a serial killer.

The investigation could determine that the cases are connected to one offender, multiple offenders or unrelated perpetrators.

Nevertheless, the pattern has become serious enough for police to warn women in Kempton Park and Rhodesfield to exercise increased caution.

Women have been advised to avoid isolated areas, remain vigilant and, where possible, walk or exercise in groups.

The warnings have taken on added significance following Moselakgomo's disappearance while she was out running.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has also directed law-enforcement authorities to prioritise the investigations and leave no stone unturned in identifying those responsible.

Residents and families of the victims are now demanding answers, including whether CCTV footage along the R21 and surrounding areas is being systematically reviewed, whether the victims had common movements or contacts before their deaths, and whether older unresolved cases could be connected to the current investigation.

For now, investigators have stopped short of confirming the existence of a serial killer.

But as more female bodies are discovered across the same broader geographical area, the possibility of a serial predator—or more than one predator—remains a question that investigators must urgently examine.

Behind every unidentified body is a woman with a name, a family and a story.