On September 28–29, 2026, shack dweller movement Abahlali baseMjondolo and partner organizations marched to Kempton Park police station demanding action after twelve women were killed. Residents report living under severe security constraints, with one woman from Soweto stating she locks herself in by 7 p.m. daily.
The death toll from a tavern shooting near Johannesburg rose to 18 on 2026-09-28 after another victim died in hospital. The incident occurred over the preceding weekend.
At least 27–30 people were killed in multiple mass shootings in South Africa over the weekend of September 26–27, 2026, near Johannesburg. The violence has been linked to gang rivalries and disputes over illicit gold mining operations.
Two separate mass shootings near South Africa's largest cities on September 27, 2026, killed at least 27 people within hours of each other. Seventeen were killed at a tavern southwest of Johannesburg and 10 at a store near Cape Town; police launched a manhunt amid gang-related armed violence.
A shooting at a tavern in Wedela township southwest of Johannesburg on September 27, 2026, killed 17 people and wounded 15 others. South African police launched a manhunt for suspects; the motive remained unknown.
South African police discovered an 11th woman's body in the Ekurhuleni area east of Johannesburg by September 28, 2026, continuing an investigation into a recent spate of killings in a country with one of the world's highest femicide rates. The discoveries began on September 26 near Mooifontein Cemetery.
By September 27, 2026, eleven women had been found dead in a single Johannesburg municipality within two months, sparking national outcry over violence against women. Most victims were found with signs of blunt-force trauma; authorities are investigating whether a serial killer or multiple perpetrators are responsible.
On September 23, 2026, three armed gunmen opened fire at a house party in KwaMakhutha township near Durban, South Africa, killing at least 11 people (including a pregnant woman) and injuring three. Police said some victims were known to authorities; the motive was unknown.
Three unidentified gunmen opened fire on a house party in KwaMakhutha, South Africa, on the night of September 23, 2026, killing at least 11 people including a pregnant woman and wounding 3 others. The motive for the attack remains unknown.
South African police arrested three people on September 21, 2026, in connection with the death of a woman whose body was found east of Johannesburg. The arrest follows a series of femicides in the country.
Three people were arrested in connection with one of nine women's bodies found in an area east of Johannesburg, with at least one victim identified as Jabulile Ntimba. A tenth body was discovered as the investigation continued into what authorities are treating as a serial killing case.
South Africans held memorial runs and protests during the week of 19 September 2026 following the killings of nine women near Johannesburg, rekindling national outrage and fear over gender-based violence. The deaths intensified demands for government action against femicide.
Police discovered the bodies of nine women in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, over a two-month period by September 19, 2026, prompting fears of a serial killer or coordinated killings. The discovery has intensified concerns about femicide rates, already among the world's highest.
South African police discovered a ninth woman's body near Johannesburg on 2026-09-17 as part of an ongoing investigation into a series of killings. All victims were female, aged in their 20s and 30s, killed in the same area over the preceding two months.
South African police launched an investigation into the deaths of at least eight women near Johannesburg starting in mid-September, with authorities warning residents that similarities between the cases suggest a possible connection. Police urged women in affected areas to take extra precautions.
South African police announced on September 17, 2026, that nine women's bodies have been discovered in an area east of Johannesburg over a two-month period, with authorities suggesting the deaths may be linked to one or more serial killers. The cases are under investigation as a major police operation.
South African police discovered nine women's bodies in the Kempton Park area east of Johannesburg between September 15–17, 2026, sparking a major investigation and public fear. President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged action as police investigated possible links among the killings, though authorities cautioned against assuming all deaths were connected.
Elizabeth Moselakgomo, a 38-year-old runner, was found dead in the Kempton Park area of South Africa on September 15, 2026, after disappearing during an afternoon run on September 10. Five women's bodies have been discovered in the broader Kempton Park region since July, with authorities investigating possible links between the cases amid growing fear among female residents.