Kempton Park residents protest after fifth woman’s body found in two months

Communities in Kempton Park staged a picket after the discovery of a fifth woman’s body in the area over roughly two months, prompting warnings from the South African Police Service (Saps) and heightened concern about a possible serial offender.

What happened

Saps warned women in and around Kempton Park, particularly the Rhodesfield area, to exercise extreme caution after five women’s bodies were found in the same area over a period of approximately two months. The latest body was reportedly found in Olifantsfontein near Kempton Park when a passerby walking to work discovered her lying on the side of the road and alerted police.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said police believe the woman may have been dumped there between Sunday night and Monday morning. Law enforcement officials were reported to be on the scene.

Police findings and public warning

Mathe said:

“Preliminary information gathered by detectives indicates concerning similarities in the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The bodies of the women were found half naked and with visible bruising, and the discovery sites are located within the same vicinity.”

She added that Saps has not, at this stage, confirmed that the deaths are linked to a serial killer, but the similarities were sufficiently concerning for the police to issue a public warning and intensify investigations. Two of the bodies are yet to be identified.

Saps urged anyone with information that could assist the investigation including residents, motorists, security personnel and community members who may have observed suspicious activity in Rhodesfield and surrounding areas to come forward. Women were advised not to walk or run alone, to avoid secluded spaces, remain vigilant and, where possible, travel or exercise in groups.

Community response

Communities, non-governmental organisations and faith-based groups gathered in Kempton Park to protest and to question police communication. Lumka Maqubela from the Girl2Woman Foundation told The Citizen:

“The reason for this picket today is that we decided to come together as a community, NGOs and faith-based organisations to question the police why we were never notified as soon as the second body was found.

“What has come to our attention is that all these murders happened in the same sequence; hence, there are suspicions of a serial killer on the loose. A fifth body was found today. No one from the police came to notify us. That’s the reason for the picket.”

Mathe disputed claims of delayed notification, saying police alerted the public after the first body was discovered in July.

Voices from the neighbourhood

A community leader described living in fear in the area and said their concerns were raised at the Kempton Park police station. He said:

“I have been dealing with issues like these in this community. I believe our voices were heard at the Kempton Park police station today, and I trust they will be taken seriously. We are living in fear; I literally stopped jogging in public spaces since last September.”

Investigation under way

A dedicated multidisciplinary task team has been established to investigate the cases and to determine whether the incidents are linked. Investigations remain ongoing.