‘We sleep with one eye open’: Fear grips Kempton Park after fifth woman’s body found - IOL

One victim has been identified as Elizabeth ‘Tsontso’ Moselakgomo, while three others remain unidentified.

Fear has gripped Kempton Park in Gauteng after the body of 38-year-old runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo was positively identified by her family at the Germiston mortuary, as police intensify investigations into the deaths of women in the area.

Moselakgomo disappeared after leaving her Kempton Park home for her routine afternoon run on Wednesday, September 10.

Her eight-year-old daughter was the first to raise the alarm after her mother failed to return home at the usual time, prompting relatives to realise that something was wrong.

Moselakgomo’s family identified her body at the Germiston government mortuary on Monday, September 14.

The identification followed the discovery of a fifth woman’s body in the Kempton Park area on Monday, after four bodies were found over the past two months.

Speaking after the family identified Moselakgomo’s body, her uncle, Andries Moroka Matlala, praised her eight-year-old daughter for noticing that her mother had not returned home.

Matlala said Moselakgomo had a routine after work, which included going for a jog and returning home at a particular time.

Her daughter knew the routine and realised something was wrong when the expected time passed.

The child noticed that it was already 6.30pm and her mother had still not returned.

“She’s the one that actually broke the news after she noticed that 6.30, the mother didn't return back. That's how we all received the information,” Matlala said.

Matlala described the child’s actions as an “iconic moment” and said he continued to be impressed by the eight-year-old’s response.

“I still take my hat off to that young lady,” he said.

Moselakgomo was originally from Mpumalanga and worked as the centre manager at Festival Mall in Kempton Park.

Matlala said the family was grateful for the psychosocial support being provided to Moselakgomo’s daughter following her mother’s disappearance.

He said a psychosocial team had been assisting the child since the family first learnt that Moselakgomo was missing.

“The girl is in good hands because the psychosocial team, ever since the news of the disappearance of the mother, they were on the ground, they are giving the support as required,” he said.

The family is now waiting for SAPS to complete the post-mortem and other investigative processes before Moselakgomo’s body can be released.

Matlala said funeral arrangements would only be finalised once the family had received her body.

Elizabeth Moselakgomo disappeared after leaving her Kempton Park home for her routine afternoon run on Wednesday, September 10.

The first victim, a 37-year-old woman, was found near the R21 on July 15. She was naked and had been restrained with cable ties. A suspect was arrested two days later.  He has been in custody ever since.

A second body, a 32-year-old woman, was found near the R21 on August 24.  She had visible bruises on her body, and she was found half-naked.

On September 10, closer to Rhodesfield, Kempton Park, an unidentified woman’s body was found at the stage of decomposing. She was also half-naked. 

A fourth body, that of a 38-year-old woman, was found on September 12 in Rhodesfield, behind a hotel. The victim was wearing sports clothing and was partially clothed. It was later confirmed that the remains were those of Moselakgomo.

The fifth discovery was made on September 14 along the R21 near Olifantsfontein. The remains are still subject to formal identification.

Police are investigating whether there are links between the cases.

The discoveries have left residents fearful and calling for increased police visibility in the area.

Speaking to IOL, Martha Sebetha, 47, said the deaths had heightened her fear.

“We are no longer safe as women. We are fearing for our lives,” she said.

“With the discovery of these bodies, especially in one area, we are really scared of what’s going to happen next.”

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said women were living in fear.

“We are sleeping with one eye open because we fear that anything can happen to us because we are not safe anymore,” the resident said.

The resident also criticised the government and police, saying more needed to be done to protect women.

Twenty-six-year-old Lethabo Sambo called for more police patrols and visibility.

“All we are calling for is for more police patrols and more police presence during the day and night because we’re not safe,” Sambo said.

“We live in fear and are scared of what might happen to someone close to us tomorrow because it clearly shows that anything can happen anytime.”

Elizabeth Moselakgomo disappeared after leaving her Kempton Park home for her routine afternoon run on Wednesday, September 10.

The Tembisa Community Forum (TCF) expressed concern over the deaths and said the situation required urgent government action.

“This is a serious issue. Year in and year out, Gender-Based Violence remains something spoken about and well documented on paper, yet with little to no real change on the ground,” said spokesperson Brenda Mekoa.

The forum called for stronger institutions and decisive laws to protect women and children.

“We need strong institutions and decisive laws that will ensure our women and children are safe 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Enough is enough,” Mekoa said.

Social justice movement Not In My Name International said it was “horrified and outraged” by the discovery of five women’s bodies in the area in two months.

Spokesperson Boitumelo Thage said the pattern demanded urgent action, regardless of whether investigators classified the killings as the work of a serial killer.

“Five women, half-naked, bruised, discarded in the same vicinity,” Thage said. “Whether SAPS labels this a ‘serial killer’ or not is a matter of semantics.”

Thage welcomed the establishment of a dedicated task team but said it was long overdue.

“A warning for women to ‘not walk alone’ is not protection. It is an admission of failure,” Thage said.

Not In My Name called on men to challenge misogyny, intervene when women are harassed or followed, report suspicious behaviour and support male-led patrols and safe-escort initiatives in high-risk areas.

The Gauteng Department of Health said all five bodies were received at the Germiston Forensic Pathology Service, which is providing forensic pathology services to support the investigation.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said two of the five women had now been identified by their families, while three remained unidentified.

“The identification process for the remaining three deceased persons is continuing,” Mabona said.

Gauteng forensic pathology services are also assisting SAPS with the forensic investigation, including collecting samples for DNA analysis to support identification.

The department said its role includes the removal and transportation of deceased persons, post-mortem examinations, assistance with identification and the provision of forensic evidence to support law enforcement investigations.

“SAPS remains responsible for the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, and the Department will continue providing the necessary support to the investigation,” Mabona said.

The department appealed to families who have reported loved ones missing and believe they may be among the three unidentified women to approach the Germiston Forensic Pathology Service for assistance with the identification process.