Chikunga unveils emergency strategy to catch Ekurhuleni serial killer

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (IMC on GBVF) has approved a Comprehensive Emergency Strategy to speed up the pursuit of those behind the killing of nine women in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.

Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga, who co-chairs the committee, announced the decision during a media briefing in Pretoria on Sunday, according to SAnews.

Chikunga said the committee met on Thursday to receive a briefing and consider recommendations from the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) on the work to find the perpetrators of the murders in the Ekurhuleni Metro.

“The IMC approved a Comprehensive Emergency Strategy for implementation, which is in line with the key elements of the National Strategic Plan on the fight against GBVF, namely, Prevention and Rebuilding Social Cohesion, Law Enforcement, Protection, Safety, and Justice and Victim and Survivor Centred Support,” she said.

The multidisciplinary specialised team set up to investigate the murders has also been elevated to be coordinated by the Deputy National Commissioner for Detective Services.

Search for families

Of the nine recovered bodies, one remains unidentified with no missing person case reported, Chikunga said. She called on the public to check on female relatives in Ekurhuleni, particularly those in and around Kempton Park, Kwa-Thema and Tembisa, and to report anyone missing at their nearest police station.

There is no requirement to wait 24 hours before reporting a person missing, she said. Early reporting allows police to start investigation and search processes without delay, and families should provide a recent photograph, a description of the missing person, details of where the person was last seen and any other information that may help investigators.

Community members with information on the murders are urged to contact Warrant Officer Elvis Manyike on 082 465 7249 or the South African Police Service Crime Stop number on 08600 10111.

Chikunga said information should be reported directly to police rather than circulated through social media or informal community platforms. The sharing of unverified allegations, graphic images or the personal information of victims may cause additional trauma to families, fuel fear and prejudice, or compromise ongoing investigations.

The Department of Social Development has begun psycho-social support for the families of the identified victims in line with the families’ needs, she said.

“Each of these women was a human being of equal dignity, with relationships, hopes and a rightful place in our society,” Chikunga said. “Government stands with the affected families and remains committed to ensuring that they receive the necessary support while justice is pursued.”

Members of the public can report gender-based violence incidents and access support through the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre on 0800 428 428, by sending a Please Call Me to 1207867#, SMSing “HELP” to 31531, or contacting Skype: Helpme GBV.

This report is based on the official account published by SAnews (South African Government News Agency) at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/government-intensifies-work-bring-justice-murdered-ekurhuleni-women, which summarises the briefing rather than reproducing the full record of the committee’s meeting.