Petition demands permanent serial crime task team after Kempton Park murders

A petition is calling for emergency funding and a permanent specialised task team after nine women were killed in Ekurhuleni, although police have not confirmed that the cases are linked.

A petition calling for the immediate creation and permanent funding of a specialised serial crime task team has been launched as South Africa reels from the deaths of nine women in Ekurhuleni.

The petition, titled “Fund a Permanent Serial Crime Task Team Now!”, calls on Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to establish a dedicated unit capable of investigating serial rape and murder and responding before more women become victims.

The demand comes as communities across Ekurhuleni continue to grapple with fear following the discovery of women’s bodies since July.

Police have not established that the nine deaths were committed by one perpetrator, and investigations into the individual cases remain ongoing.

For petitioners, however, the killings have highlighted what they describe as a longstanding gap in SA’s response to serial crimes.

“ Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) is a national emergency, and women are the biggest targets of serial predators, yet the police response is always underfunded and too late,” the petition states.

The petition argues that police responses tend to intensify only after a crisis has captured public attention, with temporary task teams established before eventually being disbanded.

It says this approach leaves communities vulnerable once the immediate national spotlight fades.

The petition is therefore calling for a permanent, specialised rapid-response task force, staffed by investigators trained to identify patterns between cases, track suspects and intervene before serial offenders can claim additional victims.

“Establish a Permanent Serial Crime Task Team: Immediately set up a dedicated, specialised rapid-response task force specifically trained, equipped, and deployed to track, investigate, and stop serial rape and serial murder before more lives are lost,” it demands.

The petition also places the issue directly before the Treasury, arguing that emergency funding should be made available rather than waiting for future budget cycles.

It calls on Godongwana to invoke Section 16 of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) to provide emergency funding for the proposed task team.

Section 16 provides for expenditure of an exceptional nature where postponing it to a future parliamentary appropriation could seriously prejudice the public interest.