A manipulated screenshot shared online falsely made a Sept. 15, 2026, South African TV broadcast appear to announce a 10th victim in killings east of Johannesburg. Police had confirmed eight bodies then; a ninth was found Sept. 17, bringing the total to nine women.
Newzroom Afrika, whose Sept. 15 briefing appeared in the screenshot, confirmed the image had been altered. Its broadcast at the same timestamp showed “8th body found,” not “10th”; police called the circulating post fake news and urged people not to share it.
At the Sept. 15 briefing, police and government ministers announced a R400,000 reward for information leading to suspects’ arrest; officials also said a suspect had been arrested in connection with one of the murders. Three suspects have appeared in court in connection with the killings: one man over Busisiwe Mahlangu’s murder and two women over Jabulile Ntimba’s death.
