Omanghana
Two South African women appeared in court on Monday, September 21, 2026, charged with the murder of Jabulile Ntimba, whose body was the ninth involving a woman discovered near Johannesburg within two months.
The case took another disturbing turn after police confirmed that the body of a 10th woman had been found in Soweto over the weekend.
The continuing discoveries have heightened public fear and renewed outrage over gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. They have also increased pressure on law enforcement authorities to determine whether any of the cases are connected.
Ntimba’s partially clothed body was found wrapped in a sheet beside a road in Dawn Park, Boksburg, on September 17.
Following an investigation, the South African Police Service arrested three people over the weekend. Two women, aged 31 and 38, subsequently appeared before the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court.
The accused face charges of premeditated murder, defeating the ends of justice and possession of a dangerous weapon. They were remanded in custody and are expected to return to court for a formal bail hearing on October 1, 2026.
A man identified as the brother of one of the accused women was also detained but later released without charge because authorities said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him at this stage.
Deputy National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili said Ntimba knew the two accused women. Investigators believe the killing may have resulted from a personal relationship dispute, reportedly involving a possible love triangle.
However, the allegations have not been proven in court, and the accused remain presumed innocent until found guilty.
While the suspects were being processed, police confirmed the discovery of another woman’s body in Moroka, Soweto, on Sunday afternoon.
The unidentified victim, believed to have been in her twenties, was reportedly found wrapped in a duvet inside a dam. Authorities have opened a separate investigation to establish her identity and determine the cause of death.
The discovery expands the geographical scope of the cases, as the previous nine bodies were found in parts of the Ekurhuleni region, including Kempton Park and Boksburg.
Among the previously identified victims are shopkeeper Itumeleng Kekana, 32, and runner Elizabeth Moselakgomo, 38. Several of the women were reportedly found partially clothed, with severe injuries, near major roads or in isolated public areas.
The similarities have fueled public speculation that the deaths may involve a serial offender, an organised group or copycat attacks. Police have not confirmed that the cases are connected.
Authorities have assembled a specialized multidisciplinary team comprising forensic experts, fingerprint analysts, detectives and data specialists to examine possible links among the deaths.
Although police described the arrests in Ntimba’s case as an important breakthrough, Mosikili cautioned that investigators had not established whether her killing was connected to the other deaths or was a separate incident occurring during a wider increase in violent crime against women.
Source: Omanghana
