SAPS Responds To Kempton Park Corruption And Crime Claims Amid Nine Women’s Murders

The South African Police Service has responded to allegations of widespread criminal activity and police misconduct in Kempton Park as the area remains under intense scrutiny following the murders of nine women across Ekurhuleni.

The allegations, circulated in a social-media post, include claims involving drug dealing, missing persons, human trafficking, undocumented people and corruption involving police officers.

“SAPS takes the concerns raised in the post seriously,” police said in a statement issued on Friday evening.

Police said, however, that specific and verifiable information was needed before individual allegations could be properly assessed and investigated.

The response comes amid heightened concern over safety in Kempton Park and surrounding parts of Ekurhuleni following the discovery of nine murdered women between July and September.

Police have not established that all nine killings are connected.

Police Urge Public To Provide Evidence

SAPS said allegations of criminal activity should be supported with information that investigators can act on.

Of particular concern are allegations that police officials could be accepting money to interfere with investigations or make criminal case dockets disappear.

Police have called on anyone with information about corruption or misconduct by officers to report it through the SAPS complaints system.

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The Gauteng Service Complaints Standby number is 082 442 2000, while the National Service Complaints Centre can be reached on 0800 333 177.

Information about criminal activity can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

SAPS has simultaneously cautioned members of the public against circulating unverified allegations, particularly where criminal conduct is attributed to groups of people because of their nationality or immigration status.

“Criminal conduct should be reported and dealt with on the basis of evidence, irrespective of a person’s nationality,” SAPS said.

973 Arrests In Kempton Park Since July

Police have also released figures showing the scale of law-enforcement operations conducted in Kempton Park since the beginning of July.

According to SAPS, 973 suspects have been arrested through operations associated with the Kempton Park Police Station.

More than half of those arrests — 525 — involved alleged contraventions of immigration laws.

Another 87 suspects were arrested for drug-related offences, with police reporting the seizure of more than 440 grams of various drugs.

A further 106 people were arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Police said 30 people were arrested for liquor-related offences.

SAPS also reported conducting 379 liquor compliance inspections and seizing about 670 million millilitres of liquor.

The operations have been conducted through initiatives including Operation Shanela and Operation Lockdown.

Additional police members have also been deployed to strengthen capacity at the Kempton Park Police Station.

SAPS said it was working alongside the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department, Gauteng Traffic Wardens, Community Police Forums and private security companies through Business Against Crime South Africa’s Eyes and Ears initiative.

Nine Women's Deaths Remain Under Investigation

The police response comes against the backdrop of investigations into the deaths of nine women whose bodies were discovered in different parts of Ekurhuleni between 15 July and 17 September.

The bodies were found in Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, Kwa-Thema and Dawn Park.

Police initially identified similarities between some of the Kempton Park cases, including the locations where bodies were discovered and visible injuries. SAPS previously said several women had been found partially undressed and with bruising.

Those similarities prompted police to intensify their investigations, but authorities have repeatedly cautioned against concluding that a serial killer is responsible before investigators establish whether the cases are connected.

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A multidisciplinary team involving detectives, Crime Intelligence, forensic specialists and other police units has been assigned to the cases.

The investigation is being coordinated at national level by the Deputy National Commissioner responsible for Detective and Forensic Services.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has also called for the killings to be prioritised by law-enforcement agencies.

The deaths have generated protests, vigils and calls for stronger action against gender-based violence in South Africa.

Arrests Made In One Of Nine Cases

There has since been a breakthrough in one of the nine investigations.

Two women have been charged in connection with one of the murders, while a man initially detained by police was subsequently released without being charged.

Police have not linked the two accused women to the other eight killings.

The development reinforces the distinction investigators have maintained between the individual murder cases and speculation that all nine deaths were committed by the same person or group.

Government Announces Emergency Response

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide has approved a Comprehensive Emergency Strategy in response to the killings.

Measures include increased police visibility, environmental safety interventions and closer coordination between government departments, communities and local safety structures.

The City of Ekurhuleni has also been tasked with intensifying grass cutting and debushing and clearing illegal dumping sites as part of efforts to make public spaces safer.

The heightened police presence comes as residents, civil society organisations and political parties continue to demand answers over crime and safety in the area.

For SAPS, the latest social-media allegations add another dimension to that pressure.

Police say they are prepared to investigate allegations of corruption, trafficking, drug dealing and other criminal conduct — but have appealed to those making the claims to provide information that investigators can verify and act upon.