Twelve women have been killed in Ekurhuleni in less than two months, with the latest victim being a 23-year-old woman shot dead on her way to work. The woman, identified as Boitumelo Gift Mashita, was shot and killed in Temong, Mapungubwe Street, Tembisa, at about 5:45 am. Her belongings were taken during an alleged robbery. National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the latest shooting was being investigated as a murder and robbery.
The police have not found a link between this incident and the other cases involving the bodies of women found in Ekurhuleni. According to Mathe, preliminary investigations have not established any connection between the cases. The police are following up on leads and investigating the discovery of another woman's body near a railway line in Springs on Sunday, September 27.
A 36-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with the murder of a woman whose body was found at Mooifontein Cemetery in Tembisa on Saturday, September 26. The suspect was arrested in Limpopo hours later and is expected to appear before the Tembisa Magistrate's Court on a murder charge. Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane commended the multidisciplinary team involved in tracing and apprehending the suspect.
Crime expert Yusuf Abramjee said the number of cases required an urgent and coordinated investigation. He warned against concluding the cases before evidence established a connection and suggested that investigators cross-reference DNA, fingerprints, CCTV footage, cellphone records, and the movements and associations of victims and suspects.
The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) said the deaths were happening within a justice system that already struggles to follow through once cases of violence against women are reported. According to CSVR, women who come forward after experiencing violence are often met with disbelief and poor case handling by institutions meant to assist them.
CSVR called for SAPS and Gauteng authorities to properly resource the Ekurhuleni investigation, urgently identify the women, and keep affected families informed. The organisation cited a national study of nearly 4,000 rape cases, which found that prosecutors declined to proceed with 31% of cases, while only 9% resulted in a conviction.
Police have appealed to anyone with information to contact their local police station, Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or send tip-offs through the MySAPS app. The police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the murders and are following all available leads to apprehend the perpetrators.
Key points
- Twelve women killed in Ekurhuleni in less than two months
- Police investigate string of murders and body discoveries
- Urgent and coordinated investigation required, experts say
