Eight women found dead in one area - and the terror in South Africa's streets grows: "We are prey" | Harsh descriptions
Since July, the bodies of eight women have been found in the Ekurhuleni area, half-naked and bearing signs of assault. Police are investigating a possible connection between the cases. The wave of murders has reignited public anger over the ongoing crisis of violence against women in South Africa and the authorities' response.
Since July this year, the bodies of eight women have been found in the Ekurhuleni area of Johannesburg, South Africa. The bodies were discovered in fields, alongside roads, and on paths, all half-naked and showing signs of assault and injury. The first victim was identified in July: a 37-year-old woman who was strangled with handcuffs. Local police have stated they are investigating the possibility of a connection between the eight deaths. The wave of murders has brought the ongoing crisis of violence against women in South Africa back into the public spotlight. The country's femicide rate is among the highest in the world: according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, in 2022, 12.2 women per 100,000 people were murdered in the country, nearly six times the global rate. The recent murders have sparked a sharp backlash against police advice that women should take precautions. The organization Women For Change stated: "We are tired of being told to be vigilant, when women are already doing everything they can to stay alive. We are angry because we see how the response suddenly intensifies. The police, search teams, dog units, forensics experts, tracking teams, and even politicians - they are all coming now. Where was this urgency before?"