They had names: IOL’s wall remembers women killed in South Africa in 2026

South Africa’s surge of killings this year has prompted IOL to assemble a public record that gives names to some of the women lost. The site launched a wall listing 74 women whose lives ended in 2026, and is asking readers to help add and verify other victims.

What the wall shows

The IOL wall collects the names and short accounts of women killed since January 1, 2026. IOL started this wall with the names and stories of 74 of those women, and describes the project as a beginning rather than a complete record.

IOL notes that many victims were never named publicly and some have still not been identified. Tap a name to learn what happened to her, and help us add the women who are still missing from this wall, the site instructs readers.

Official figures cited

The page includes national murder figures published for parts of the year. It states that 5,181 people were murdered from January to March, and that the South African Police Service did not release how many of them were women. It also reports that 569 women were murdered from April to June, according to SAPS.

How names are verified

IOL sets out a verification process for additions to the wall. IOL checks every name against police statements, court records or published reports before it is added, the site says.

The outlet invites people who know of women missing from the wall to submit details and supporting material. It gives an email contact and explains how submissions are handled: What you send goes to [email protected] and is used only to verify the details. Your own name and number will not be published.

Ongoing work and limitations

The page cautions that the list is not exhaustive. This wall is not a complete record. IOL will keep adding names as they are verified, it says.

How readers can help

• Use the wall’s interface to tap and read individual entries.
• Submit names and verification links or documents via the provided email address.

According to IOL, the project aims to document victims by name and to expand as more verified information becomes available.