JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — September 17, 2026. South African police have confirmed that a woman found dead in KwaThema, Springs, was 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, after her family identified her at the Springs Mortuary on Wednesday. Her death is among eight cases being examined in a wider Ekurhuleni investigation, although police have not established that all eight deaths are connected.
Who was identified in the latest Ekurhuleni case?
Police confirmed the KwaThema victim as 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane after her family identified her on September 16. Her body had been found the previous day. Investigators are examining eight women's deaths across Ekurhuleni but have not confirmed a single perpetrator or common link.
Family identifies KwaThema victim
Motapane's family positively identified her at the Springs Mortuary on September 16, according to reporting based on a South African Police Service statement. SABC News reported that police said she had last been seen alive on Sunday.
Her body was discovered on the side of a road in KwaThema on September 15. At the time it was found, her family had not yet reported her missing, police said.
The identification provides an answer to one family while investigators continue trying to establish the identities and circumstances surrounding other deaths included in the wider probe.
The Citizen reported on September 17 that Motapane was the third victim to be identified in the investigation. Earlier reporting had counted fewer formal identifications, reflecting how quickly information has changed as families and forensic teams complete the process.
Police are examining eight deaths
The broader investigation covers eight women's bodies found in parts of Ekurhuleni since July. Locations reported by police and local media include Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Clayville and KwaThema.
CRIME PREVENTION
Dineo Motapane Identified as Police Probe Eight Ekurhuleni Deaths
Sep 17, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
4 min read
Published
Updated:
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — September 17, 2026. South African police have confirmed that a woman found dead in KwaThema, Springs, was 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, after her family identified her at the Springs Mortuary on Wednesday. Her death is among eight cases being examined in a wider Ekurhuleni investigation, although police have not established that all eight deaths are connected.
Who was identified in the latest Ekurhuleni case?
Police confirmed the KwaThema victim as 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane after her family identified her on September 16. Her body had been found the previous day. Investigators are examining eight women's deaths across Ekurhuleni but have not confirmed a single perpetrator or common link.
Family identifies KwaThema victim
Motapane's family positively identified her at the Springs Mortuary on September 16, according to reporting based on a South African Police Service statement. SABC News reported that police said she had last been seen alive on Sunday.
Her body was discovered on the side of a road in KwaThema on September 15. At the time it was found, her family had not yet reported her missing, police said.
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The identification provides an answer to one family while investigators continue trying to establish the identities and circumstances surrounding other deaths included in the wider probe.
The Citizen reported on September 17 that Motapane was the third victim to be identified in the investigation. Earlier reporting had counted fewer formal identifications, reflecting how quickly information has changed as families and forensic teams complete the process.
Police are examining eight deaths
The broader investigation covers eight women's bodies found in parts of Ekurhuleni since July. Locations reported by police and local media include Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Clayville and KwaThema.
Eyewitness News reported that police top brass convened an urgent meeting as the number of cases under examination increased. EWN said investigators were considering possible links between the deaths.
Police have repeatedly cautioned against treating the cases as the work of one killer before evidence establishes that connection. That distinction matters because similarities in location or victim profile can guide an investigation but do not by themselves prove a common perpetrator.
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A suspect arrested in connection with the first July case remains in custody, according to EWN. Police have not said that suspect is responsible for the other deaths.
Reward offered as investigation intensifies
The Police Ministry has offered a R400,000 reward for information that may lead to arrests in the broader investigation. EWN reported the reward after authorities added an eighth woman's death to the cases being examined.
Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane has said a multidisciplinary team of investigators and specialists is working to establish the circumstances of each case and identify those responsible.
Police have also appealed to families with missing relatives to come forward and assist with identification. Forensic work, including postmortem examinations and DNA analysis where required, is central to establishing both identities and causes of death.
Community fear grows across Ekurhuleni
The discoveries have triggered widespread concern in communities around Kempton Park and the East Rand. Residents have been seeking information about whether the deaths are connected and whether a continuing threat exists.
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International reporting has also focused on the cases amid South Africa's wider struggle with violence against women. Associated Press reported on the public anger generated by the deaths while stressing that police had not confirmed a serial perpetrator.
That uncertainty remains central to responsible reporting. Police are investigating multiple deaths in a concentrated geographical area, but the existence of a serial killer or organised group has not been established.
What happens next
Investigators must still determine the cause and circumstances of each death, establish whether forensic or other evidence links the cases, identify remaining victims and pursue suspects where evidence supports arrests.
For Motapane's family, the identification ends one stage of uncertainty but opens another: establishing how she died and who was responsible. Police have asked anyone with information relevant to the deaths to contact authorities.
The next significant updates are expected to come from forensic findings, further identifications and any arrests or formal police announcement about whether the cases are connected.
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