GBVF Council asks Gauteng families for DNA to name eight Ekurhuleni women

Families in Gauteng who are missing a loved one are being asked to come forward to the police and the provincial health department so that DNA identification can proceed on eight women whose bodies were found in Ekurhuleni since July 2026.

The appeal comes from the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, the statutory body set up under the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act, 2024 (Act 9 of 2024) to lead and coordinate the national response to gender-based violence and femicide. Several of the eight bodies reportedly showed signs of sexual violence.

The Council said it was concerned about the killings and extended its condolences to the families of the victims, including the family of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who went for a run and did not return home.

“Each of these women was somebody’s daughter, mother, sister or friend,” the Council said. “They were not statistics, and they will not be treated as such.”

It added that no woman should be buried unnamed.

What the police say about reporting a missing person

The South African Police Service has reiterated that there is no waiting period for reporting a missing person and that cases should be reported immediately at the nearest police station. That matters here, because the identification of the Ekurhuleni women depends on families who may not yet have opened a case.

The Council acknowledged the multidisciplinary investigative team the SAPS has deployed, and an arrest already made in one of the cases. It stressed that an arrest must be followed by a comprehensive investigation and a prosecution.

It also called for thorough investigations, timely forensic processes and adequately resourced prosecutions.

The Council wants a formal briefing

The Council said it will seek a formal briefing from the SAPS and from the relevant provincial and municipal authorities on the Ekurhuleni cases and on the safety measures being implemented for women in the affected communities.

That request sits inside the Council’s mandate. As the statutory body responsible for strategic leadership and coordination in the national response to gender-based violence and femicide, it said it will hold institutions accountable for implementing the National Strategic Plan on GBVF.

Under Pillar 1 of the plan, the Council will seek accountability from national, provincial and municipal institutions for measures taken to protect women in Ekurhuleni. Pillar 2 must address prevention, including the social norms and behaviours that contribute to violence against women. Pillar 3 must ensure that women are able to walk, work, exercise and travel without fear, and that perpetrators face consequences. Pillar 4, which covers response, care, support and healing, must ensure that affected families receive dignified psychosocial support, including during the identification of loved ones, burials and court proceedings.

“Pillars 5 and 6 remain central,” the Council said. “Economic dependence traps women in danger, and reliable data is what allows us to see patterns before more women die.”

An appeal to stop the speculation

The Council urged the public and the media to refrain from circulating unverified information, images or accusations relating to the cases. It warned that speculation could compromise the investigations and further distress the affected families.

“Our anger must not compromise the investigation or wound the families further,” it said.

The Council said the recent killings underscored the need for the country’s GBVF framework to translate into concrete prevention, protection, support and justice for women and communities.

“There can be no normalisation of the killing of women,” it said. “There must be accountability. There must be prevention. There must be justice.”

Source: SAnews (South African Government News Agency), Council urges Gauteng families to help identify bodies, https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/council-urges-gauteng-families-help-identify-bodies. This report is drawn from that official summary of the Council’s statement rather than from the statement itself.