Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has called an urgent meeting with mayors, municipal managers and law enforcement agencies on Friday, 2 October 2026, following the deaths of 11 women in Ekurhuleni since July. The meeting will review the province’s response to gender based violence and femicide, identify gaps in existing measures and consider further interventions aimed at protecting residents, particularly women and children.
Lesufi is expected to brief the media at 11am following the meeting. National ministers whose portfolios form part of the response have also been invited to participate.
The provincial intervention comes days after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced national measures to address gender based violence and serious violent crime following the Ekurhuleni killings.
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Why Gauteng Has Called an Urgent GBV Meeting
The discovery of 11 women’s bodies across Ekurhuleni since July has intensified concern about violence against women in the metro.
The latest body was discovered on Sunday, 27 September, after a security company patrolling an open area alerted police. The discovery brought the number of women’s bodies found in Ekurhuleni over approximately 10 weeks to 11.
Police investigations into the individual cases are continuing. Authorities have not established that all 11 killings are connected, making it important to distinguish the confirmed number of deaths from assumptions about a single perpetrator or motive.
Against this background, the Gauteng Provincial Government said Friday’s meeting will assess the measures already in place and determine where additional intervention is required.
What Gauteng’s GBV Meeting Will Focus On
The provincial meeting is expected to examine prevention measures, law enforcement coordination and the support available to survivors of gender based violence.
According to the Gauteng Provincial Government, officials will consider how the province can strengthen safety and security, particularly for women and children.
The discussions will also examine gaps in Gauteng’s existing response.
The meeting brings together provincial and local government because several elements of the response extend beyond policing. Municipal infrastructure, public spaces, transport routes, survivor services and coordination between authorities can all form part of measures aimed at improving safety.
Lesufi’s briefing following the meeting is expected to provide further detail on the province’s GBV response plan.
Police Investigations Into Ekurhuleni Killings Continue
While the deaths have raised widespread concern, police have cautioned against treating the 11 cases as the work of a single perpetrator before investigations establish the facts.
Investigators are examining evidence including DNA, blood samples, clothing, cellphones and cellphone records. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has also been assisting with digital forensic work in the investigations.
Police have made arrests in connection with some of the individual cases.
However, authorities have not established that all the deaths are connected. That distinction remains important as investigations continue into who killed the women, the circumstances surrounding each death and whether any of the cases share a common link.
The uncertainty surrounding the cases has also affected communities. Residents and civil society organisations have held demonstrations and called for greater accountability from law enforcement.
Ekurhuleni Residents Demand Answers
On Monday, 28 September, residents and members of Abahlali baseMjondolo marched to Kempton Park Police Station and demanded a public report on the investigations into the 11 deaths.
The organisation called for police to provide an update on the status of each investigation and requested additional measures including a dedicated GBV task team, a 24 hour victim support room and increased visible policing in areas considered high risk.
The organisation gave police seven days to respond to its memorandum.
The demands reflect growing pressure on authorities to provide communities with information about the investigations while also improving the response to gender based violence more broadly.
Friday’s provincial meeting now places the response at the centre of discussions between Gauteng government, municipalities and law enforcement agencies.
Ramaphosa Announces National Measures After Killings
Lesufi’s meeting follows a national response announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this week.
Ramaphosa announced several measures intended to address unresolved cases, forensic delays and safety concerns in communities.
One of the interventions is a national case recovery operation focused on unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and serious sexual offences involving women and children. Authorities have been given 60 days to identify unresolved cases requiring attention.
Government must also develop a funded plan to address forensic backlogs and establish turnaround standards.
The measures are intended to identify cases that have stalled because of outstanding forensic evidence, delays in investigations or other obstacles within the criminal justice system.
Gauteng Municipalities Face Women’s Safety Audits
Another measure has direct implications for Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and other Gauteng municipalities.
Municipalities have been instructed to conduct women’s safety audits of public spaces.
The audits are expected to identify hazards such as:
- Broken streetlights
- Abandoned buildings
- Overgrown public spaces
- Unsafe transport routes
- Poorly secured parks
- Other public areas considered unsafe
The audits must be completed within 60 days, with plans required to address priority problems identified during the process.
For Gauteng municipalities, this means the response will extend beyond criminal investigations and include an assessment of physical environments where residents may face safety risks.
Why the Next 60 Days Matter
Several of the national measures announced following the Ekurhuleni killings carry a 60 day deadline.
This period will include the review of unresolved cases, work on forensic backlogs and municipal assessments of unsafe public spaces.
The effectiveness of these measures will depend on what authorities identify during the reviews and what action follows.
Friday’s meeting is expected to clarify how Gauteng will coordinate its own response alongside the national interventions.
It may also establish responsibilities between the provincial government, municipalities and law enforcement agencies as implementation begins.
What This Means for Gauteng Residents
For Gauteng residents, the immediate development is a province wide review of how authorities respond to gender based violence and femicide.
The measures could affect policing, municipal infrastructure, survivor support and how unresolved cases are managed.
Residents may also see municipalities assessing streetlights, transport routes, abandoned buildings and other public spaces as part of the women’s safety audits.
For communities in Ekurhuleni, however, key questions about the 11 deaths remain under police investigation. Authorities have not confirmed that the killings are connected, and investigations into the individual cases are continuing.
The provincial briefing on Friday is expected to provide further information about the steps Gauteng intends to take.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Gauteng called an urgent GBV meeting?
Premier Panyaza Lesufi called the meeting following the deaths of 11 women whose bodies have been found in Ekurhuleni since July 2026. Provincial authorities will assess existing GBV measures, identify gaps and consider additional interventions.
Are the 11 Ekurhuleni killings connected?
Police have not established that all 11 deaths are connected or were committed by the same person. Investigations into the individual cases are continuing.
What did President Cyril Ramaphosa announce?
Ramaphosa announced measures including a review of unresolved serious cases involving women and children, action on forensic backlogs and women’s safety audits by municipalities.
What will the women’s safety audits examine?
Municipalities will assess public spaces for risks including broken streetlights, abandoned buildings, unsafe transport routes, overgrown areas and poorly secured parks.
When will Gauteng announce its GBV response?
Lesufi is expected to brief the media at 11am on Friday, 2 October 2026, following the provincial meeting.
Gauteng Response Plan Expected After Urgent Meeting
The deaths of 11 women in Ekurhuleni have placed renewed attention on how Gauteng responds to violence against women and how individual murder investigations are handled.
Friday’s meeting will bring together provincial government, municipalities and law enforcement agencies to examine current measures and identify areas requiring further intervention.
The next step will be Lesufi’s briefing on Gauteng’s response plan. At the same time, police investigations into the Ekurhuleni deaths remain ongoing, with authorities yet to establish whether the cases are connected.
