By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA Police Services (SAPS) have confirmed that another woman’s body was found in Moroka Dam, Soweto, South-West of Johannesburg.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi told Fullview that an inquest docket has been opened after the unidentified body was found wrapped in a duvet this afternoon.
The victim is estimated to be in her twenties.
Nevhuhulwi has appealed to community members with any information on the murder to contact the police or the police crime stop number 08600 10111 or alternatively use the MySAPSApp to provide tipoffs anonymously.
The discovery comes after the bodies of the women were discovered over the past two months, sparking national outrage and intense scrutiny over the police response.
Earlier in the day, the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) said the continued killing of women requires urgent and sustained action from government, law enforcement, civil society and communities.
The committee is also calling on men to lead from the front in the fight against GBVF.
Members of the public can report GBV incidents and access support by contacting the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre on 0800 428 428.
The GBV Command Centre can also be reached by sending a Please Call Me to 1207867#, SMSing “HELP” to 31531, or contacting Skype: Helpme GBV.
Meanwhile the United Nations has warned that the recent killings of several women are not isolated incidents but reflect a broader and persistent crisis of violence against women and girls.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the killings highlight the scale of gender-based violence facing women and girls across South Africa.
“Our team said they are not isolated tragedies but reflect the persistent and deadly violence faced by women and girls across South Africa.”
The UN said South Africa’s declaration of gender-based violence and femicide as a national disaster must now be followed by urgent and sustained action.
It is calling for greater accountability for perpetrators, improved access to justice for women and girls, economic empowerment and sustained funding to address the crisis.