At least 27 people killed in separate South African mass shootings

In South Africa, police have confirmed the discovery of another woman's body dumped on a roadside, raising the total number of women found dead in a municipality east of Johannesburg to 11 over the past 10 weeks. This alarming surge in gender-based violence has alarmed the country, which already has one of the world's highest murder rates per capita. Eight of the victims were discovered this month in a series of killings that have left the nation concerned.

The latest body was found around midday in an open field within the Ekurhuleni municipality, reported police spokeswoman Brigadier Brenda Muridili. A security company vehicle patrolling the area noticed the body and promptly alerted the police. However, details about the woman's identity, age, and cause of death have not been disclosed yet.

Separately, on Saturday, a semi-naked woman's body was found near a cemetery in the same municipality, with indications suggesting she had been stoned to death. A post-mortem examination is underway to determine the exact cause of death. Police announced that a man linked to the killing was apprehended nearly 400km away after leaving the area, bringing the number of people in police custody over the killings to four.

Despite four arrests, police have not yet linked any of the cases. The nine other victims were predominantly in their 20s and 30s, some found stripped of their clothes and showing signs of sexual assault. Gender-based violence remains a pervasive issue in South Africa, even after years of government pledges to address it and declare it a national disaster.

The national GBV Command Centre received 6,782 distress calls between September 1 and 16, an average of 424 calls per day, marking a 21% increase from the same period in August.