- Police are investigating the alleged abduction of a 35-year-old woman in North West after she was found traumatised a day later.
- A sexual assault in Bloemfontein triggered public violence, while two women and an elderly woman remain missing in separate investigations.
- SAPS has dismissed a viral WhatsApp message falsely linking Bloemfontein to the Kempton Park investigation.
While police remain focused on the investigation into the discovery of the bodies of nine women in Kempton Park and surrounding parts of Ekurhuleni, new cases involving an alleged abduction, sexual violence and missing women have surfaced in several provinces.
The latest investigations are taking place separately in North West, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and the Free State.
Sexual assault sparks public violence in Bloemfontein
Parkweg police are investigating multiple offences after a 27-year-old woman was allegedly sexually assaulted in King Edward Street, Bloemfontein.
Police said the woman was approached by an unknown man who asked for her contact details. When she turned him down, he allegedly touched her and held her against her will. A friend went to get help from the police as the incident happened near a car wash where people were celebrating.
Community members confronted the suspect and assaulted him before police arrived. Officers rescued the man and took him to the police station, but an angry crowd reportedly attacked police officers, damaged police vehicles by throwing bricks, and hurled objects at passing motorists.
The woman opened a case of sexual assault and attempted robbery. Police also registered cases of public violence, malicious damage to property, assault on police, and a firearms-related offence. The 30-year-old suspect was set to appear in the Magistrate’s Court in Bloemfontein on 18 September.
Woman found after alleged abduction
Police in North West are investigating the alleged abduction of 35-year-old Prudence Motlalepule Mooketsi.
Police said Mooketsi was on her way to work on 16 September when she messaged her boyfriend, saying she needed help and had been taken against her will in a vehicle. When he tried to call her, the phone went straight to voicemail, so he reported it to the police.
On the evening of 17 September, community members found Mooketsi next to a road near Dithakong Village, close to where she had allegedly been abducted. Police said she was badly traumatised, and emergency medical services were called. The investigation is ongoing.
Missing women investigations remain active
In Mpumalanga, police are searching for 86-year-old Rodah Mabunda, who disappeared on 14 September after leaving her home in the Naas Msholozi area to collect firewood. She has not been seen since then.
A separate investigation is underway in Witbank, where 19-year-old Mbali Hope Mnisi has been missing since 30 August after reportedly leaving home to visit her boyfriend.
Police have reminded the public that there is no waiting period for reporting a missing person.
SAPS rejects viral Bloemfontein claim
Police in the Free State have dismissed a WhatsApp message claiming that the body of a woman was discovered in an open field in Hospitaalpark, Bloemfontein.
SAPS confirmed that no such incident was reported or recorded and said there is no factual basis for claims linking Bloemfontein to the Kempton Park and Ekurhuleni investigations.
Police urged members of the public not to create or circulate unverified information, warning that false reports can create unnecessary panic and divert policing resources from genuine emergencies.
Father jailed for raping his daughter
In a separate matter, the Regional Court in Phuthaditjhaba sentenced a 41-year-old man to 15 years’ direct imprisonment for raping his biological daughter.
The court heard that the abuse began in December 2021 when the girl, then 13, visited her biological father in an attempt to get to know him. The abuse continued on subsequent occasions until she disclosed it to her mother on 9 April 2023 through social media, leading to a police investigation and his arrest.
Magistrate Msimanga presided over the matter. Detective Sergeant Tlaleng Mohale of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit investigated the case, while Prosecutor Nteo led the successful prosecution.
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