The bodies of eight women have been discovered by South African police in the Kempton Park area, east of Johannesburg, in the last two months.

The discoveries have sent shock waves around the country, sparked a high-level investigation and highlighted the scourge of femicide and high levels of violent crime.

Here’s what to know about the murders and the police investigation.

Police looking into whether a serial killer was responsible

The Gauteng provincial commissioner Fred Kekana said police are examining whether the cases are linked, but warned against prematurely describing the deaths as the work of one perpetrator or a serial killer.

“Investigators are considering all possibilities, including the possibility of multiple suspects or separate perpetrators,” he said. “Police are comparing the evidence, timelines, locations, victim profiles and circumstances of each case before reaching conclusions.”

However, he pointed out that the similarities and proximity of the locations where they were found was concerning.

Some of the bodies discovered more recently were in Olifantsfontein and Kwa-Thema areas, respectively about 25 kilometers (15 miles) and 34 kilometers (21 miles) from Kempton Park, where the first five bodies were discovered.

“While investigations are still underway and SAPS has not, at this stage, confirmed that the deaths are linked to a serial killer, the similarities are sufficiently concerning for the police to issue a public warning and intensify investigations,” said Kekana.

The victims were all young women

By Wednesday, police said there were a total of eight victims. All were women between the ages of 20 and 38, and all were found either naked or partially clothed with bruises on their bodies, according to the police.

The first body was discovered on 17 July, naked and restrained with cable ties. A suspect believed to have been the victim’s boyfriend was arrested and remains in custody, according to the police.

One of the victims was identified as 38-year-old runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who went missing last week.

She was reported missing after her 8-year-old daughter alerted family members that she had not returned from her daily afternoon jog, and was found dead several days later.

The body that was recovered in Olifantsfontein on Tuesday was found naked and in an advanced stage of decomposition.

The youngest victim has been identified as a 20-year-old woman.

High rates of femicide and violent crime

The recent deaths have highlighted high rates of femicide and violent crime in the country and sparked an outcry over the safety of women.

Between April and July this year, the country recorded 5,427 murders, which is an average of about 45 murders per day, according to the latest crime statistics.

Femicide rates in South Africa are among the highest in the world, according to the United Nations’ agency for gender equality.

A study in 2022 by a South African think tank found that more than 35% of South African adult women had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point.

Police have offered a cash reward for any information to related to the murders.