JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 21, 2026 — South African police have arrested three people in connection with the death of a woman whose body was discovered east of Johannesburg last week, as a series of killings of women has renewed public concern over gender-based violence.

The suspects — one man and two women — were arrested over the weekend and were scheduled to appear in court on Monday, police said.

Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili told reporters that investigators were considering whether the woman may have been killed in connection with a possible “love triangle.” She stressed that the investigation was still ongoing.

Police have discovered the bodies of nine women in the Ekurhuleni municipality over the past two months and are investigating whether the cases are connected.

Most of the victims were in their 20s and 30s. Police said some of the women were found without clothing and had signs consistent with sexual assault.

The killings have intensified public anger in South Africa, where gender-based violence and femicide have remained longstanding concerns. South Africa also has one of the world’s highest murder rates.

Many women and activists have questioned whether repeated government commitments to combat violence against women have produced sufficient results.

Mosikili said investigators were examining each case individually in an effort to identify those responsible.

“We are investigating the facts of each case thoroughly to ensure that we get to the real perpetrators,” she said.

Police have also expanded a broader crackdown on violence against women. Mosikili said more than 350 people had been arrested for rape during the previous week as part of the operation.

Separately, a video showing a businessman allegedly threatening women at a restaurant in Johannesburg’s Sandton financial district circulated widely online over the weekend.

The businessman subsequently surrendered to police and was arrested. He is expected to appear in court next month, while his company has dismissed him.

Authorities continue to investigate the recent killings as public pressure grows for stronger action against gender-based violence and femicide.

SOURCE: Reuters, Siyabonga Sishi, with additional reporting by Nilutpal Timsina and Anathi Madubela; September 21, 2026.