Seven Ekurhuleni women, no arrest, and a police briefing tonight

Seven women are dead in Ekurhuleni and no one has been arrested. Police say the investigation is complex, that they are building an evidence-driven case, and that a high-level government briefing on the matter is expected on Tuesday night.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the service is deliberately withholding detail to protect the integrity of the investigation. She said the anger and frustration South Africans feel about the deaths are valid, and she asked for time because police do not want to make mistakes or arrest the wrong people.

“South Africa’s concerns and anger, and their frustration are valid, but we request time because we do not want to make mistakes,” Mathe said.

No timeframes set

Mathe said no deadlines have been attached to the investigation. She said imposing timeframes would add pressure on detectives and lead to errors.

“We want to give the detectives an opportunity to investigate up until the letter, and up until they can tell us what evidence they’ve collected and where we are going and where does the evidence lead us to,” she said.

The team assembled on the case is made up of seasoned detectives who have solved other complex matters, according to Mathe. Investigators are studying the behaviour of the perpetrator and are working to establish whether one person or a group is responsible.

She said the priority is a case that can be enrolled by the National Prosecuting Authority, and that rushing an arrest risks a prosecution that does not hold.

“We don’t want to rush because we do not want to arrest the wrong people and then the next thing, the NPA does not enrol those types of cases,” she said.

What police have not said

Police have not said how the women died, where each body was found or when each was discovered. They have not named a suspect, described a motive or confirmed whether they believe the deaths are connected. Mathe said it would be premature at this stage to say whether police have leads or are looking at a number of suspects.

“I think at this stage, it will be premature to say we have leads or we are looking at a number of suspects,” she said. “Like I’ve said, it’s quite sensitive, and we are doing all we can to ensure that we find whoever is responsible for these attacks and killing of young women.”

The briefing tonight

A delegation of senior political and police leadership is expected to meet on Tuesday night to receive a detailed briefing on the investigation. The delegation includes Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, Women Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, Deputy Police Minister Polly Boshielo, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane.

The meeting puts the case in front of the ministers and the provincial premier who carry political responsibility for the police response and for the wider work of preventing violence against women.

For families waiting on word in Ekurhuleni, the practical position is this. There is no arrest, no named suspect and no timeline from police. What police have committed to is a case built on evidence, and a briefing to the political leadership that is expected to produce an account of where the investigation stands.

Source: eNCA, Police keep cards close to chest amid probe in Ekurhuleni murders