Tenth woman found dead in South Africa’s string of killings

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South African police on Saturday found another body in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, bringing to 10 the number of women found dead in the municipality over the past two months.

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The discovery adds to growing concern over violence against women in a country long plagued by violent crime, while police work to establish whether the killings are connected.

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The body was found in the Tembisa township, police said, without providing further details.

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“At this stage, we can only confirm the discovery of the body. Crime scene management and all the necessary role players are currently on the scene,” police spokeswoman Brigadier Brenda Muridili said.

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Local television station eNCA reported that the semi-naked body was found at a cemetery.

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The nine other victims were mostly in their 20s and 30s, with some found stripped of their clothes and showing signs of sexual assault.

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The first victim, a 37-year-old woman, was found naked and bound with cable ties on July 15. A suspect was arrested two days later.

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Two other suspects, women aged 31 and 38, were arrested in connection with the ninth victim and charged on Monday.

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Police have said that the case may have stemmed from a relationship-related matter.

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Gender-based violence is endemic in South Africa, despite years of government pledges to tackle the problem and the declaration of gender-based violence as a national disaster.

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South Africa, a nation of 62 million people, has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with more than 60 killings a day on average.

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AFP

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