Ekurhuleni women's deaths investigation grows to eight bodies

Police in Gauteng are investigating the deaths of at least eight women whose bodies have been discovered in Ekurhuleni since July, with authorities deploying specialized units and offering a reward for information as community fear intensifies. The investigation expanded after Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia announced the discovery of an eighth body on Tuesday night. The decomposed remains of a woman believed to be in her 30s were found, and investigators are examining how and when she died. The case grew earlier on Tuesday when Acting Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana confirmed that a woman's body found in a river in Clayville on September 7 had been added to the probe as the seventh victim. The woman, believed to be in her late 20s, was found wearing only underwear and had no visible injuries. Kekana stated that pathologists had found no visible wounds on the body, but it would still be investigated for links to the other cases. Police have not confirmed that all eight deaths are connected, stating it is premature to speculate about a pattern.