South African president pledges thorough investigation after seventh woman's body found near Johannesburg

President Cyril Ramaphosa said law-enforcement agencies are working urgently to establish the facts, keep communities safe and bring any perpetrators to justice after a seventh female body was found near Kempton Park, north-east of Johannesburg. The latest discovery brings the total number of women whose deaths are being investigated to seven, most of whom were found partially or fully naked.

Police have not yet linked the cases to a serial killer, but are examining whether a group may be responsible. > "[It] could be that it's a copycat crime that is happening right here but so far, no linkages as yet," police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said.

One suspect was arrested in connection with the first body and remains in custody. The victims include 38-year-old runner Elizabeth Moselakgomo, whose disappearance prompted a public search after her daughter reported she had not returned from a daily run.

Acting Gauteng police chief Maj-Gen Fred Kekana said the bodies were discovered over several weeks, with the most recent find on 7 September near a river beside a mall. Police have advised women in the Kempton Park area, close to the country's main international airport, to avoid walking or running alone in isolated locations.

South Africa records gender-based violence rates five times higher than the global average, according to UN Women, and the string of discoveries has sparked public outrage and concern over women's safety.