Body of Missing South African Runner Found as Five Women’s Deaths Spark Fear
JOHANNESBURG — South African police have confirmed that a missing runner, whose disappearance during a routine run last week prompted a nationwide appeal, has been found dead.
Relatives identified the body of Elizabeth Moselakgomo on Monday, two days after it was discovered east of Johannesburg. She was one of five women whose bodies have been found partially clothed and bruised in the Kempton Park area, police said.
Authorities have not linked the deaths to a serial killer, but police said the similarities were concerning enough to issue a public warning.
“It is very scary,” Keamo Sefularo, a fellow runner who knew Moselakgomo through their running club, told the BBC.
Sefularo said the killings had shaken South African women who already live with daily fears about their safety.
“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,” she said.
Police have urged women in Kempton Park to avoid walking or running alone, especially in isolated areas.
The case has renewed attention on South Africa’s high rates of gender-based violence. According to UN Women, the rate at which women are killed in the country is five times higher than the global average.
The deaths have intensified scrutiny of police efforts to address gender-based violence and added to long-standing demands for stronger action.
Moselakgomo’s body was found Saturday night, badly bruised and partially clothed, police said.
Police also reported that another woman’s half-naked body was found Monday, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) away. A passer-by spotted the body while on his way to work, police spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe told reporters at the scene.
One person has been arrested in connection with the discovery of the first body and remains in police custody. Police have set up a task team to investigate the murders.
The grim discoveries have sparked renewed outrage and fear across South Africa. Tributes poured in for Moselakgomo, an avid runner affectionately known as “Tsontso,” after police confirmed her death. Many South Africans also shared the anxiety women often feel in the country.
In a post on X, Lesedi Ledwaba wrote: “Women are not free if we have to calculate where, when and with whom we can walk, run or exist safely.”
Sefularo echoed that sentiment, saying Moselakgomo’s disappearance had been “heavy for the club.” The 29-year-old wondered whether Moselakgomo would still be alive if she had had a small community to run with, or even one or three people.
“As we always say, when we go out for runs, there’s safety in numbers,” she said.
Sefularo described some of the precautions she takes while running, including avoiding the same route every day and sticking to areas with good visibility.
The advocacy group Women for Change said the discoveries were infuriating. Merlize Jogiat, a member of the group, questioned what purpose the police serve if women must constantly protect themselves.
Jogiat blamed poor implementation of existing laws for failing to curb the violence and said “pressure in numbers” from citizens could help force change.
Moselakgomo’s family thanked the public for supporting the search for the mother of one and praised her 8-year-old daughter for raising the alarm about her disappearance.
Authorities have not yet identified the remaining bodies.
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