A woman reported missing in Kempton Park has returned alive and a kidnapping case has been opened, as police investigate the deaths of at least five women found in and around the Ekurhuleni area in recent months. The woman was allegedly abducted in Rhodesfield and later arrived at Tembisa South police station, according to police information reported on 15 September 2026.
Investigators have not established that the kidnapping and the women’s deaths are connected. Police are also examining whether the deaths themselves are linked, with authorities cautioning against concluding that a single serial killer is responsible while investigations remain underway.
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Woman returns after alleged Kempton Park kidnapping
The woman was initially reported missing after allegedly being abducted in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park.
The incident allegedly occurred near an area locally known as Mosquito Park, about 150 metres from the Premier Hotel OR Tambo, where the woman works.
Police confirmed her workplace but did not confirm the precise location where the alleged kidnapping took place.
The woman subsequently returned and reportedly arrived at Tembisa South police station on Monday. Kempton Park police spokesperson Dipuo Ditshego confirmed that a kidnapping case had been opened.
Police have not disclosed how the woman escaped or returned, how long she was allegedly held or whether she was able to provide identifying information about the person or people involved.
Police have no vehicle description yet
Ditshego said investigators were not yet able to provide a description of the vehicle allegedly used during the kidnapping.
“Currently, we don’t have the description of the vehicle as the investigation is still premature,” she said.
Police have also not disclosed whether the woman was able to provide a description of the alleged kidnapper or kidnappers.
Those details could become important as investigators work to establish what happened and whether the case has any connection to other crimes under investigation in Kempton Park.
For now, police have not confirmed such a link.
At least five women’s deaths under investigation
The kidnapping case comes amid heightened concern over the discovery of the bodies of several women in and around Kempton Park.
At least five women’s deaths are being investigated, with several bodies found around the R21 and surrounding areas.
Among the victims was Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, 38, whose family confirmed that a body found in Kempton Park had been positively identified as hers.
Moselakgomo had been reported missing after failing to return home on 9 September. Her family circulated missing person notices and searched for her before receiving confirmation of her death.
Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane has ordered a multidisciplinary team of detectives and specialised policing resources to intensify investigations into the deaths.
Police have not confirmed a serial killer
Despite public concern and speculation about a possible serial killer, police have not established that one person is responsible for the deaths.
Sources close to the investigation said authorities were also considering whether more than one perpetrator could be involved.
According to information reported following a closed meeting in Kempton Park, investigators do not currently have sufficient evidence to conclude that the deaths were committed by a single serial offender.
The cases reportedly do not all share the same method.
That distinction is important because similarities such as the gender of the victims or the general area where bodies were discovered do not on their own establish that the crimes were committed by the same person.
Police are examining evidence from the individual cases to determine whether credible links exist.
Earlier murder cases are being reviewed
The investigation has also prompted detectives to revisit previous murders in Kempton Park.
Sources said six murders had been recorded in the area during the previous two months. At least two reportedly involved male foreign nationals and were believed to be unrelated to the cases involving women.
Investigators are now reviewing evidence to determine whether connections between other cases may previously have been missed.
Dimpane said police would pursue anyone who could be linked to the crimes through evidence.
“We will not rest until we have established the truth,” she said.
Police said evidence from each death is being analysed as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding the killings and any possible connections.
Could the kidnapping survivor provide new information?
The survival of the woman allegedly kidnapped in Rhodesfield could give police another source of information, but authorities have not said that her case is connected to any of the deaths.
Kempton Park ward councillor Simon Lapping said that if a connection is eventually established, the woman could potentially provide information investigators did not have in cases where victims were killed.
That could include information about how she was approached, where she was taken, what happened during the alleged kidnapping and details about the alleged perpetrators.
“It could be a breakthrough,” Lapping said, while calling for the investigation to remain a policing priority.
Any suggestion that the woman holds clues to the murders therefore remains conditional on investigators first finding evidence connecting her experience to one or more of the deaths.
Community concern grows in Kempton Park
The discoveries have increased concern among residents, particularly women, while community organisations and residents have held demonstrations calling for action.
Lapping said fear had spread across the community and called for improved communication from police.
Mike Waters has also called for additional policing resources and greater visibility in Kempton Park.
Police, however, have stressed that the investigation remains active and that information will be released once investigators have gathered sufficient evidence.
Ditshego said the matter was being handled at provincial and national level.
What This Means for Gauteng Residents
The Kempton Park investigations are significant for Gauteng residents because police are dealing with several serious crimes within the same part of Ekurhuleni while still trying to establish whether any are connected.
The return of the alleged kidnapping victim is an important development because police can obtain a direct account of what happened in her case.
It does not, however, prove a connection to the women who were found dead.
Residents should also distinguish between confirmed police information and theories circulating about the cases. At this stage, police have not confirmed that a serial killer is operating in Kempton Park, nor have they confirmed that the alleged kidnapping is linked to the deaths.
The multidisciplinary investigation will need to establish those links through witness accounts, forensic evidence and other investigative information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the missing Kempton Park woman found alive?
Yes. The woman who was reported missing after an alleged kidnapping in Rhodesfield returned alive and reportedly presented herself at Tembisa South police station. Police subsequently opened a kidnapping case.
Is her kidnapping linked to the Kempton Park murders?
Police have not confirmed a link. Investigators are still establishing the circumstances of the kidnapping and separately examining whether the deaths of several women are connected.
How many women have been found dead in Kempton Park?
At least five women’s deaths in and around Kempton Park have raised concern and are being examined as police investigate whether there are links between the cases.
Is there a serial killer in Kempton Park?
Police have not confirmed that a serial killer is responsible. Investigators are reportedly considering different possibilities, including whether separate perpetrators could be responsible for some of the deaths.
Who is investigating the Kempton Park deaths?
A multidisciplinary team involving detectives and specialised policing resources has been tasked with investigating the cases under provincial and national police structures.
Investigators now face the task of establishing the links
The return of the woman allegedly kidnapped in Rhodesfield gives investigators a living witness who may be able to provide information about the circumstances surrounding her own case.
Whether that information has any connection to the deaths of women found around Kempton Park remains unknown.
Police are simultaneously examining the individual murder cases, reviewing earlier investigations and assessing forensic and other evidence for possible links.
Until that process produces evidence, authorities have cautioned against treating theories about a serial killer, multiple perpetrators or a connection to the kidnapping as established fact.
