LIVING IN FEAR: Too early to confirm link between four women found dead in Kempton Park

Police are probing the deaths of four women in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, between July and September, urging the public to refrain from speculation while a specialized team investigates potential links between the cases. Major-General Fred Kekana, Gauteng's acting provincial commissioner for the South African Police Service (SAPS), stated that it is too early to confirm whether the deaths are linked, emphasizing that more evidence is needed to make a conclusion.

A multi-disciplinary team, including experts from the Investigative Psychology unit, is analyzing behavioral patterns and possible connections between the incidents. The bodies of the victims were found in various states of decomposition, with one woman partially clothed, another naked and restrained, and a third with cable ties around her.

Kekana also warned women and girls to take extra safety measures during outdoor activities, such as walking, running, or exercising, including exercising in groups, informing others of their plans, avoiding isolated areas, and keeping a cellphone nearby. Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, condemned the growing reports of attacks on women exercising in public spaces, calling them a direct threat to women's rights.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) candidate for Ekurhuleni, Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, urged urgent action to protect women in the area, criticizing the SAPS for warning women to exercise extreme caution.