In a statement on Thursday, South African police said the recent rise in serious and violent crimes against women remained a “matter of grave concern”, urging women in the country to remain vigilant about their personal safety.
They advised women to avoid walking alone or using isolated routes, remain alert to strangers and suspicious vehicles, and share their location or travel plans with someone they trust. They also advised against walking with earphones or earbuds at high volume, warning this could reduce awareness of their surroundings.
“Practising personal safety measures can save lives.”
Authorities have offered a 400,000 rand ($24,000; £18,000) reward for information that could lead to arrests and have appealed to families with missing relatives to help identify the remaining victims.
The discoveries have caused widespread alarm in Ekurhuleni, particularly around Kempton Park, and come against the backdrop of longstanding concern about high levels of violence against women in South Africa.
Police say they are not linking the deaths to a serial killer at this stage, but are investigating the possibility that a group of people is behind the killings.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has cautioned against speculation, saying investigators were dealing with what appeared, at this stage, to be “quite distinct, separate events”.
South Africa experiences some of the world’s highest levels of gender-based violence (GBV), with the rate at which women are killed five times higher than the global average, according to UN Women.
Last November, the country classified violence against women a national disaster following an online campaign that culminated in countrywide protests.