She was one of us’: Dawn Park residents shaken after ninth woman found dead

The family of 28-year-old Gracious Nkomo has confirmed her as the third woman whose remains were found along the R21 highway in Kempton Park. Nkomo was among several women whose bodies were discovered in the Kempton Park region on September 10, 2026, leading to heightened police investigations and operations in the area. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, Nkomo's body was partially clothed when it was found.

Her family positively identified her remains at the Germiston Mortuary on Thursday. This identification coincided with another woman's body being discovered in Ekurhuleni, raising the total number of victims to nine. Gauteng's acting provincial commissioner, Major General Fred Kekana, announced that the latest body was found in Dawn Park, Ekurhuleni, and preliminary investigations suggested the woman's remains had been dumped there.

Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death, as well as the other murders involving women whose bodies have been found in the region. Acting National Commissioner of SAPS, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, stated that a multidisciplinary team of investigators is working to determine what happened to the victims and identify those responsible.

Dimpane expressed condolences to Nkomo's family and her loved ones during this difficult time, emphasizing that SAPS investigators remain dedicated to pursuing every lead to bring those responsible for these murders to justice. SAPS has also intensified policing operations in Kempton Park and urged anyone with information that could assist the investigation to come forward.