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R400,000 Reward Offered as Police Arrest Murder Suspect

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 2:38 PM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered police to prioritize investigating nine women’s murders in Ekurhuleni.
Police found nine partially naked women’s bodies in Ekurhuleni between July and September 2026.
Authorities offered a R400,000 reward for information leading to arrests in the killings.
Police arrested a suspect for the July murder.
Forensic psychologist Gérard Labuschagne advised treating the case as a potential serial-murder investigation.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, South Africa apprehended serial killer Moses Sithole after a wave of 38 murders shocked the nation. President Nelson Mandela authorized a R1 million reward, and the South African Police Service deployed over 1,000 officers to Johannesburg and surrounding townships. Today's Ekurhuleni investigation mirrors that era, with President Cyril Ramaphosa ordering police to prioritize nine women’s murders and offering a R400,000 reward. The Sithole case spurred nationwide forensic reforms, prompting modern South African authorities to employ psychologists like Gérard Labuschagne in serial-murder probes.

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Story summary

President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered police to prioritize investigating nine women’s murders in Ekurhuleni.
Police found nine partially naked women’s bodies in Ekurhuleni between July and September 2026.
Authorities offered a R400,000 reward for information leading to arrests in the killings.
Police arrested a suspect for the July murder.
Forensic psychologist Gérard Labuschagne advised treating the case as a potential serial-murder investigation.

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