SAPS arrests one suspect as eight women's bodies found in Gauteng

Eight women’s bodies have been found in Gauteng since July and one suspect has been arrested in connection with one of the murders, Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane said this week.

Dimpane gave the update during a high-level meeting at the SAPS Gauteng provincial head office in Parktown. The South African Police Service has offered a reward of R400 000 for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the people involved.

As CapeTown ETC reported on 16 September, the arrest and the reward were announced at the same meeting, which was attended by Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia, Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga, and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi.

The delegation met as the investigation into the deaths continues. Eight bodies have been found so far. Police have not said the cases are linked, and no further arrests have been announced.

A reward, and what it is for

The R400 000 reward is for information that leads to the identification and arrest of those responsible. It is paid for information, not for a conviction, and it is the mechanism the SAPS uses when a case has run out of ordinary leads. Members of the public can report information anonymously through Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

The message police say is not true

A message circulating on social media claims that a suspect described as the Kempton Park serial killer has moved to Potchefstroom. The North West SAPS has asked the public not to treat the claim as fact until it is confirmed through official SAPS communication.

Major General Ryno Naidoo, the North West Acting Provincial Commissioner, said: “We urge the community not to spread unverified information or create unnecessary panic.”

Police say false messages can divert operational effort and cause fear in communities that are already anxious. The SAPS has asked residents to remain calm and vigilant, to walk in well-lit areas after dark, and to report crime to 10111 or their local police station.

What this means for people in Ekurhuleni

The practical consequences are concrete. A family that has waited since July for news of a missing relative now has a reward notice and one arrest to work with. A resident in Kempton Park or the surrounding East Rand townships has a police number to call and a public instruction not to act on a message that has not been confirmed.

Gauteng is the country’s most populous province and its police stations carry the highest case loads in South Africa. When a case draws national attention, the SAPS moves senior leadership into the area, as it did at the Parktown meeting. The presence of the acting police minister, the women’s ministry and the premier at that meeting is the clearest signal yet that the case is being treated as a priority at national level.

The next step

The investigation continues under the Gauteng SAPS. The reward remains open. Anyone with information can call Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or their nearest police station.

Source: CapeTown ETC, ‘R400k reward and 1 arrest: What we know about the Ekurhuleni murders’