South African police have confirmed the death of a jogger, who went missing during a routine run last week, sparking a nationwide appeal for help finding her. The body of Elizabeth Moselakgomo was identified by her relatives on Monday after it was discovered east of Johannesburg on Saturday. She is one of five women whose bodies have been found half-naked and bruised in the same area, Kempton Park.
Police said they were not linking the deaths to a serial killer but added that the "similarities are sufficiently concerning… to issue a public warning". A jogger who knew Moselakgomo through their running club told the BBC the discovery of the five bodies was "very scary". "It's sad to know that every woman in South Africa… can't just go outside.
You can't just go to the shop and buy flowers… because you are always in danger," said Keamo Sefularo. Police have urged women in the Kempton Park area to avoid walking or running alone "particularly in isolated areas". South Africa experiences some of the world's highest levels of gender-based violence (GBV), with the rate at which women are killed five times higher than the global average, according to UN Women.
Moselakgomo's body was found on Saturday night, badly bruised and partially clothed. South Africa calls gender violence a national disaster after protests I built this 'AI aunt' for women after family tragedy in South Africa Just hours earlier on Monday, another woman's half-naked body was found about 25km (15 miles) away. The latest discovery was made by a passer-by, who spotted the body on his way to work, police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe told reporters at the scene.
One arrest has been made in connection with the discovery of the first body. The person is still in police custody. The police have since set up a task team to investigate the murders but these grim discoveries and Moselakgomo's death have sparked renewed outrage and fear among South Africans.
Tributes poured in for the avid runner, affectionately known as "Tsontso" after police confirmed her death. South Africans also shared the fear and anxiety women often feel in the country. Lesedi Ledwaba, in a post on X, said: "Women are not free if we have to calculate where, when and with whom we can walk, run or exist safely".
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