Police said the man who has been arrested is not connected to the deaths of the four women in the Silverton area.
While the police have not confirmed if the discovery of four bodies in Pretoria’s Silverton area between two train stations is linked to a serial killer, the perpetrator remains at large.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili confirmed 36-year-old Helder Isidro was not connected to the bodies found in Silverton in June and July.
“There has not been a confirmation that there’s a serial killer,” she said.
NPA regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Isidro, the Eersterust man who was charged with murder for the death of Loveness Magabe, 30, and defeating the ends of justice, abandoned his bail application in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
Mahanjana said the case has been postponed to 15 October and a separate matter where the accused is also facing a rape charge was scheduled for the same date.
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City of Tshwane MMC for community and social development services Palesa Modise has condemned the gruesome killings of women in Waltloo.
“The city is shocked and deeply saddened by the gruesome murders of four women, whose bodies were discovered burnt near the Waltloo and Denneboom train stations from June to August this year. These heinous crimes committed against vulnerable women, are a direct affront to our constitutional democracy, which affirms the right to life, dignity and safety for all,” she said.
Modise said Mamelodi and its surrounding areas have regrettably emerged as hotspots for violent crimes, particularly those targeting women and children.
“These killings are not isolated incidents; they are indicative of the broader national crisis of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), which continues to plague our communities with devastating impact,” she added.
Modise said in light of these alarming developments, Tshwane proposes integrated interventions that include establishing a rapid response task team in Mamelodi.
“The city will conduct safety audits around Waltloo, Denneboom and other well-known hotspots and work with the energy and electricity business unit to improve public lighting and surveillance in vulnerable areas,” she said.
Modise said they cannot allow public spaces to become sites of terror and violence.
Serial killer speculation
DA Gauteng shadow MEC for community safety Crezane Bosch said women in Pretoria were living in fear after a disturbing wave of at least five murders in recent weeks.
“The brutality and similarities among the attacks have led to widespread speculation that a serial predator may be targeting women in the area,” she said.
Bosch said the DA in Gauteng demands that Premier Panyaza Lesufi urgently establish a dedicated special unit to investigate the rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and improve resourcing of police stations to address the scourge.
“In July, three burnt bodies of young women were discovered between Denlyn and Waltloo stations. On 31 July, the partially buried body of a 30-year-old woman, reported missing from Sunnyside earlier that month, was found in an open field in Eersterust. Just a few days later, on 4 August, another young woman, aged between 20 and 25, was found burned near the same railway line,” she said.
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Bosch said these murders were not random acts of violence.
“They are deliberate, calculated and targeted attacks on women. The victims are being lured by perpetrators using deceptive tactics such as dating sites and false job advertisements. This highlights the urgent need for public awareness and personal vigilance,” she said.
Bosch said Eersterust and Silverton police stations, along with other police precincts in the area, are severely under-resourced, with broken police vehicles, overburdened detectives and a lack of visible policing that has left communities vulnerable.
“This is unacceptable, especially in Gauteng, the epicentre of crime in our country,” she said.
