Note to Editors: Please see the English soundbite here and Afrikaans soundbite here.
Women in Pretoria are living in fear after a disturbing wave of at least five murders in recent weeks. The brutality and similarities among the attacks have led to widespread speculation that a serial predator may be targeting women in the area. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng demands that Premier Panyaza Lesufi urgently establish a dedicated special unit to investigate the rising cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and improve resourcing of our police stations to address the scourge in our province.
In July, three burnt bodies of young women were discovered between Denlyn and Waltloo stations. On 31 July, the partially buried body of a 30-year-old woman, reported missing from Sunnyside earlier that month, was found in an open field in Eersterust. Just a few days later, on 4 August, another young woman, aged between 20 and 25, was found burned near the same railway line.
These murders are not random acts of violence. They are deliberate, calculated, and targeted attacks on women. The victims are being lured by perpetrators using deceptive tactics such as dating sites and false job advertisements. This highlights the urgent need for public awareness and personal vigilance.
Eersterust and Silverton police stations, along with other SAPS precincts in the area, are severely under-resourced. Broken police vehicles, overburdened detectives, and a lack of visible policing have left communities vulnerable and unable to receive the protection they deserve. This is unacceptable, especially in Gauteng, the epicentre of crime in our country.
Furthermore, while one suspect has now been apprehended in connection with the recent murders, the DA Gauteng strongly stresses that bail be denied. The brutality of these crimes shows clear danger to society, and the justice system must send a strong message that crimes against women will be met with the harshest possible response.
The DA in Gauteng urges the newly appointed Minister of Police to visit Gauteng and observe firsthand operational failures of the SAPS, which have been ignored by the Premier Lesufi-led government. Gauteng is facing the highest rates of violent crime in the country. The women of Gauteng cannot endure another day of inaction by the government. The DA further calls on the public to avoid sharing unverified or false information about these murders and the perpetrator, as this could create unnecessary fear, panic, and confusion within communities already on edge.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would immediately establish a specialised GBV and Femicide Unit to investigate these murders, make provision of additional trained detectives and fully functional patrol vehicles for affected stations, intensify visible policing in high-risk areas and roll out comprehensive public awareness campaigns on the dangers of online lures.
The DA will not rest until every woman in this province can walk without the fear of being ruthlessly murdered. Our fight is their fight.