Women found killed in South Africa municipality rise to 11

Eleven women have been found murdered in a municipality east of Johannesburg, South Africa, over the past ten weeks, according to police. The latest body was discovered in an open veld area within the Ekurhuleni municipality around midday on Sunday. Eight women have been found dead this month alone, causing alarm in a country with one of the world's highest murder rates per capita.

A security company vehicle spotted the body and alerted the police, who are yet to disclose the victim's identity, age, and cause of death. The discovery comes after a semi-naked woman was found near a cemetery in the same municipality on Saturday, whose body appeared to have been stoned. Police suspect a man linked to the killing was arrested nearly 400 kilometers away.

Four individuals are currently in police custody over the killings, but no link has been established between the cases. Most of the nine other victims were in their 20s and 30s, some found stripped and showing signs of sexual assault. Gender-based violence remains a significant issue in South Africa, despite government pledges to address it. The GBV Command Centre received 6,782 distress calls between September 1 and 16, a 21 percent increase from the same period in August.