South African police have offered a R400,000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible for the deaths of eight women whose bodies were found at different locations in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng Province.
Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane announced the reward during a media briefing on Tuesday, as authorities intensified investigations into the deaths.
“There is R400,000 that we are putting on the table so that we are able to strengthen our investigations,” Dimpane said.
The discovery of the eight bodies over a period of about two months has triggered a high-level investigation and renewed concerns over femicide and violent crime against women in South Africa.
Police have appealed to members of the public with relevant information to come forward and assist investigators in identifying those responsible.
Authorities have also advised women to take precautions, including avoiding walking or exercising alone, particularly in isolated areas.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said a multidisciplinary investigative team had been established to pursue the cases.
“We will leave no stone unturned to bring the culprits to book. We have set up a high-level multidisciplinary team under the leadership of the deputy provincial commissioner to lead this investigation,” Cachalia said.
Police said they were not yet treating the deaths as linked incidents, stressing that investigations would have to establish whether there was a connection between the cases.
However, authorities said they were seeking information from the public as they worked to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths and identify any possible links.
The investigation comes amid longstanding concerns over violence against women and femicide in South Africa, with police urging residents to provide any information that could help bring those responsible to justice.
