Story perspectives

Police offer R400,000 reward after Ekurhuleni murders

By Drooid · Sep 19, 2026, 6:10 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Martha Urges Death Penalty

Police locked down Kempton Park and erected roadblocks after several bodies were found.
The UN office warned the murders show persistent, deadly violence against South Africa women and girls.
Martha Goge, aunt of Dineo Motapane, is urging reinstatement of the death penalty for serious violent crimes.
Authorities offer a R400 000 reward for information that leads to arrests in the killings.

Summary

Police Intensify Patrols

Police in South Africa have increased patrols and investigations after nine women were found dead in Ekurhuleni.
Victims identified include Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, Dineo Motapane, Itumeleng Kekana and Gracious Nkomo, found July-September 2026.
President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to leave “no stone unturned” in solving the Ekurhuleni murders.
Amnesty International urged South Africa to recognise femicide as a distinct crime after 569 women were killed Apr-Jun.

History

Historical Context

After apartheid ended with the 1994 multiracial election that made Nelson Mandela South Africa’s first black president, the 1996 constitution embedded a bill of rights. The 1998 Domestic Violence Act then created ten protection orders and allocated R150 million for shelters. Yet the 2024 killing of nine women in Kempton Park spurred President Cyril Ramaphosa to promise a R400 000 reward, highlighting gaps in enforcement.

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Martha Urges Death Penalty

Police locked down Kempton Park and erected roadblocks after several bodies were found.
The UN office warned the murders show persistent, deadly violence against South Africa women and girls.
Martha Goge, aunt of Dineo Motapane, is urging reinstatement of the death penalty for serious violent crimes.
Authorities offer a R400 000 reward for information that leads to arrests in the killings.

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