South African police are investigating whether the death of another woman in Ekurhuleni is connected to a series of killings that has left 10 women dead in the area in recent months.
The latest body was discovered on Saturday morning at a cemetery in Tembisa, north-east of Johannesburg. Police have not released the identity of the victim, while crime scene investigators were deployed to examine the location and collect evidence.
The woman had reportedly spent the previous evening at a bar with a friend, who later recognised her clothing when shown a photograph of the body. The discovery has added to growing concern over a cluster of deaths involving women in the wider Johannesburg area.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said investigators were examining similarities between the cases, including the circumstances surrounding the victims and the way they were allegedly killed. Brandspur Brand News reports that police have not ruled out the possibility that a serial killer could be involved, although Mthombeni stressed that there is not enough evidence at this stage to establish such a link conclusively.
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Most of the previous bodies were discovered in Kempton Park, close to Tembisa, with many of the victims described as young women. Police said the earlier cases displayed similarities that could help investigators determine whether they were connected.
The latest discovery comes as South Africa continues to grapple with high levels of violent crime and gender-based violence. Between April and June this year, 5,427 people were murdered across the country, according to police figures.
Separate figures from the South African Human Rights Commission show that 569 women were killed and 1,052 others survived attempted murder during the same three-month period.
The deaths around Johannesburg have generated particular concern, with the authorities facing renewed pressure to establish who is responsible and whether the cases form part of a wider pattern. The national government declared gender-based violence a national disaster less than a year ago.
Three men appeared in court earlier this week over alleged involvement in one of the nine earlier murders. Police are continuing efforts to identify and locate other people who may have been involved.
Investigators are yet to determine whether the woman found in Tembisa died in circumstances connected to the earlier cases. The police inquiry remains ongoing as forensic teams work to establish the circumstances surrounding her death.
