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Is a Serial Killer Stalking Pretoria? Fourth Burned Woman’s Body Found at Watloo Station

Published

2 months ago

August 8, 2025

Chiraag

Pretoria crime, Watloo station murder, burned body found Silvertondale, serial killer fears Pretoria, SAPS GBV investigation, Women’s Month crime SA, femicide South Africa, train station killings, Joburg ETC

Is a Serial Killer Stalking Pretoria?

Fourth Burned Woman’s Body Found as Fears Escalate

A fourth woman’s charred body was discovered near the Watloo train station in Pretoria this week, deepening fears that a serial killer may be targeting women in the area. With Gauteng police now confirming that all four victims were found in close proximity over a two-month period, community unease is spreading fast.

The latest body was discovered on Stormvoel Street in Silvertondale around 3:30pm on Monday, 4 August. It marks the fourth burned female body found in the Pretoria area since June, with three others located between Watloo and Denneboom stations.

A Pattern Emerging?

While police have not officially labelled these murders as the work of a serial killer, the similarities between the cases are hard to ignore. All four women were burned, all were found near railway lines, and none of the perpetrators have been arrested.

“The task team is working around the clock,” said Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili. “It includes experienced detectives, crime intelligence officers, forensic analysts, and scene experts.”

No further identifying details about the women or potential links between them have been released. Authorities are urging the public to assist by contacting police stations or anonymously using the MySAPS app or the Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111.

Women’s Month Overshadowed by Violence

This grim discovery comes just days after two women in Mpumalanga, who were set alight in a separate domestic violence case, died in hospital from their injuries. A 35-year-old man, arrested shortly after the incident in Vosman, now faces upgraded charges of murder. He is accused of torching the 21-year-old mother of his children and her 23-year-old relative who tried to intervene.

The case has added to the growing concern around gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa, especially during Women’s Month, a time meant to honour women and celebrate progress.

Anti-GBV group Ilitha Labantu’s spokesperson, Siyabulela Monakali, described the recent murders as a “painful reminder” of the brutality women still face across the country.

“South Africa’s femicide rate is five times the global average,” Monakali said. “And these are not just numbers. They are lives ripped away from families, often by people they know. The cruelty we’re seeing in these cases speaks to the depth of the crisis.”

Are Women Safe Anywhere?

While investigators remain tight-lipped about whether Pretoria is facing a serial killer, the pattern is undeniably chilling. The location, timing, and method of these murders are sparking intense speculation and fear on social media, with some users pleading for increased police patrols and safety measures near transit stations.

For now, the community waits for answers. And justice.