{
  "id": 8179876,
  "title": "Families seek answers as Ekurhuleni women’s deaths remain under investigation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/families-seek-answers-as-ekurhuleni-womens-deaths-remain-under",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T05:14:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/mercury/news/2026-09-18-families-seek-answers-as-ekurhuleni-womens-deaths-remain-under-investigation/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The families of two women, Dineo Evelyn Motapane and Itumeleng Kekana, are devastated by the circumstances surrounding their deaths. Dineo, 38, was found naked on the side of the road in KwaThema, Springs, while Itumeleng, 32, was discovered near the R21 after she disappeared from Kempton Park. These deaths are part of a series of nine women who have been found dead in Ekurhuleni since July, prompting police to intensify their investigations.\n\nThe Motapane family is particularly distressed, as Dineo was left behind with a two-year-old girl after her death. Dineo was last seen on September 13, and her body was found on September 15. The family reported that her phone had been switched off when they went to the mortuary. Dineo's sister, Phelisa, described the shocking injuries she witnessed, including a burnt hand and an unknown operation on her leg.\n\nItumeleng's family, meanwhile, endured 17 days of searching before they learned of her death. Itumeleng disappeared on July 17 after leaving her sister's spaza shop in Kempton Park. Her brother, Themba, 44, had spoken to her that day. The family conducted a thorough search, visiting police stations, hospitals, clinics, mortuaries, open fields, bushes, and dumping sites. When Itumeleng's body was found on August 3, she had suffered multiple stab wounds. The family has requested that the police examine CCTV footage near the location where her body was found.",
  "summary": "Two grieving families are demanding answers after Dineo Evelyn Motapane and Itumeleng Kekana were found dead in separate incidents as police investigate nine women found dead across Ekurhuleni since July.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
        "title": "Couple found dead in Ekurhuleni home as police open investigation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/couple-found-dead-in-ekurhuleni-home-as-police-open-investigation",
        "published": "2026-09-18T06:13:46.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}