Kempton park: Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, has expressed deep concern and extended his condolences following the discovery of six bodies of women in the Kempton Park area. Minister Cachalia, alongside Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, plans to meet with the investigating team to receive a detailed briefing on the investigation's progress, the evidence gathered, and the measures being taken to identify and apprehend those responsible.
According to South African Government News Agency, the sixth body of a woman was found on Tuesday morning. Minister Cachalia described the discovery of multiple women murdered in the Kempton Park area as deeply disturbing. The investigation aims to establish whether these cases are linked and addresses the possibility of a perpetrator or perpetrators targeting women, emphasizing the need for urgent and determined attention.
The Minister announced that a multidisciplinary investigation has been established to examine possible links between the cases, identify those responsible, and bring them to justice. The meeting with the investigating team will provide an opportunity to assess the investigation's progress and ensure that all necessary resources and operational support are being deployed.
Minister Cachalia emphasized that the safety of women is a priority. He assured that SAPS would continue working with communities and other stakeholders to identify risks, strengthen policing responses, and ensure credible information is acted upon. He also appealed to anyone with information that may assist the investigation to come forward through appropriate police channels and urged the public not to circulate unverified information or make accusations without evidence.
The Acting Minister returned to South Africa following a working visit to China and has prioritized receiving an update on the ongoing investigation. Earlier, SAPS vowed to apprehend those responsible for the murders of women in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, with the body of a sixth woman discovered in the area.
Police revealed the discovery of the bodies of four women in the same area over approximately two months. Two more bodies were subsequently discovered in different areas of Ekurhuleni on Monday and Tuesday. In a media briefing, Deputy National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, warned that police are on the trail of the perpetrator or perpetrators, stating that their "freedom is temporary."
