Story perspectives

Police confirm Ekurhuleni murders death toll reaches 12

By Drooid · Sep 28, 2026, 10:15 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Police Confirm 12 Deaths

Police confirmed three additional women’s bodies in Ekurhuleni, bringing the death toll to 12.
A 36-year-old man was arrested near Tzaneen after fleeing the latest killing.
Two women, ages 31 and 38, were charged with the ninth murder, linked to a personal dispute.
Police offered a 400,000-rand reward for information leading to arrests.
A multidisciplinary task team was formed to investigate the Ekurhuleni murders.

Summary

Gunmen Attack Bar

Eight gunmen opened fire on a Wedela township bar, killing 17 people.
A Lwandle shisanyama was shot at 1:46 a.m., leaving 10 dead and 11 injured.
Lt Gen Tommy Mthombeni said victims included Ethiopian and Lesotho nationals.
Police suspect robbery and illegal-mining gang turf wars, though motives remain unclear.
President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered a year-long soldier deployment in March to curb organized-crime hotspots.

Summary

Community Leaders Demand Response

Gender-Based Violence Command Centre logged 6,782 distress calls from Sept 1-16, a 21 % rise from August.
Hundreds of South Africans held vigils and solidarity runs from Kempton Park to Cape Town honoring victims.
Women such as Chulumanco Mahamba now limit walks, carry pepper spray, and share live locations.
Community leaders demand faster police response times and reduced forensic backlogs to preserve evidence.

History

Historical Context

The 2012 Marikana massacre, where police shot 34 striking miners in South Africa’s Gauteng province, sparked nationwide outrage and security reforms. The Department of Police allocated R1.2 billion to expand rapid-response units, while the ANC pledged stricter mining-law enforcement in 2013. Today's Ekurhuleni killings and Wedela bar attack echo Marikana’s mining-gang violence, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2024 soldier deployment and a R400,000 reward. The precedent shows that intensified security measures can temporarily suppress gang clashes but often demand sustained community policing reforms to curb gender-based violence.

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Police Confirm 12 Deaths

Police confirmed three additional women’s bodies in Ekurhuleni, bringing the death toll to 12.
A 36-year-old man was arrested near Tzaneen after fleeing the latest killing.
Two women, ages 31 and 38, were charged with the ninth murder, linked to a personal dispute.
Police offered a 400,000-rand reward for information leading to arrests.
A multidisciplinary task team was formed to investigate the Ekurhuleni murders.

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