South African women take to the streets following series of murders

A student holds a placard at the University of Cape Town during a vigil for victims of gender-based violence and femicide, while calling for stronger action against violence against women following a spate of killings in recent months around Johannesburg. Image credit: Reuters/Esa Alexander

Reuters reports that police have found the bodies of nine women in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, over the past two months and are investigating whether the killings are linked.

Most of the victims were in their 20s and 30s. Some were found stripped of their clothes and showed signs of sexual assault.

Enough

A memorial run in Johannesburg honoured Elizabeth Moselakgomo, who disappeared after going for a run and was found dead days later. Runners lit candles and carried a banner reading: “Enough. Stop Femicide.”

“We are here because we’ve lost a runner, but we are not safe anywhere,” said Lerato Lentsela, one of dozens of people who dressed in black for the memorial run.

“We are not safe running, we are not safe at a post office, we are not safe on a date, we are not safe in our own homes, we are not safe in an Uber.”

The killings have reignited anger over violence against women in South Africa, where gender-based violence was declared a national disaster in 2025. Many women say official promises have done little to make them feel safer.

“Enough is enough. Our women deserve to live, walk, run and exist without fear,” the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation said in a statement.

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Policing problems

President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa could not allow itself to grow accustomed to such violence and pledged that no stone would be left unturned in the investigations.

Policing in South Africa is weakened by corruption and lack of resources. Only about one in 10 murders is ever solved.

“We need to relook at our policing. The only reason these nine women were found was that there was more police presence in the area. This problem is countrywide,” said Merlize Jogiat of Women for Change, which held a memorial event in Cape Town.

Some women also criticised police advice urging them to take extra precautions when exercising or walking alone.

“Stop placing the responsibility of our safety back onto us,” Women for Change said in a social media post. “Women should not have to organise their entire lives around surviving violence and not being next.”

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Rise in reports

The Department of Social Development noted a 21% rise in calls to the 24-hour Gender-Based Violence Command Centre (GBVCC) between 1 and 16 September 2026, per SA News.

“A significant increase in calls was recorded between 13 and 16 September 2026, when daily calls rose to about 500, compared with an average of 399 a day during the first 12 days of September.

“On 16 September, the command centre received 589 calls, the highest daily number during the period under review,” the department said.

The increase of 6,782 calls, averaging 424 calls per day, is linked to heightened awareness following the discovery of the bodies of the nine women in Ekurhuleni.

“These incidents have further intensified calls for urgent and coordinated action to address GBVF,” said the department.

“While the preliminary figures indicate increased demand for the GBV Command Centre’s services, further monitoring and analysis are required to determine whether this represents a sustained trend in GBV-related incidents and calls for assistance.”