‘An Echo of Happiness’: Ekurhuleni murder victim Elizabeth ‘Tsontso’ Moselakgomo laid to rest

“An echo of happiness”, is how loved ones described Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo as she was laid to rest more than a week after she was discovered murdered in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park.

On Sunday, 20 September, mourners gathered at Phake Kwa-Rankaila in Mpumalanga to bury the 38-year-old mother.

Moselakgomo was the first of nine women whose bodies have been discovered in the broader Kempton Park area, prompting nationwide outrage and concerns that a serial killer may be operating in the East Rand. She was reported missing by her eight-year- old daughter after she failed to return from an afternoon run.

Her family, neighbours and friends paid tribute to the late runner, describing her as a caring, compassionate woman with an infectious personality who had inherited her lifelong passion for running from her father.

Government officials, including Social Development Minister Dina Pule, Minister for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga, and Mpumalanga MEC for social development Nompumelelo Hlophe, were among the dignitaries in attendance.

Her neighbour and friend Lesiba Molefe, who was her frequent running partner, ended his tribute with an appeal to men to end gender-based violence.

“Can we please protect our sisters, our aunts? We [runners] are emotional because we see what’s happened to our sister and know it could have happened to any lady,” he said.

In a heart-wrenching moment, Moselakgomo’s eight-year-old daughter read a poem she had written to honour her late mother, saying that although she missed her mother, she knew that she was watching over her.

Task team established to find killer

The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed on Sunday, 20 September 2026, that three people had been taken in for questioning in connection with the nine deaths. It has not been confirmed whether all the murders are linked.

Moselakgomo is one of three victims who have been positively identified. Itumeleng Kekana (32) was identified by her brother on 3 August, nearly a month after she was first reported missing on 17 July. The fourth Ekurhuleni victim was identified by her family as Gracious Nkomo (28) on Thursday, 17 September. Another victim had been misidentified as Tebello Monamodi by her family, but Monamodi has since returned home safely.

During her address, Pule said Moselakgomo had not died in vain, as it was the discovery of her body that led the police to investigate and discover the other victims.

“She made sure all the other women who went through the same were found. Her family must appreciate that they have a hero and she will continue to be a hero in her death,” said Pule.

Pule said a government task team had been established to find the perpetrator. The task team is a joint effort involving the Gauteng SAPS and the South African National Defence Force.

Pule urged communities to work with the police and to promptly report missing persons, since only two of the nine victims had been reported missing.

Runners pay tribute

The Diepkloof Athletics Club to which Moselakgomo belonged also paid tribute to their fallen member by donning their running gear and running alongside the coffin to the gravesite.

IN PICTURES

Memorial run in honour of Elizabeth ‘Tsontso’ Moselakgomo in Kempton Park

September 20, 2026

The club took to social media after Moselakgomo was reported missing to spread awareness. It was their viral social media posts that played a key role in her discovery.

“She ran our roads and she will be missed at every starting line and certainly every finishing line where she was her jovial self,” said Brenda Morale on behalf of the running club.

The club appealed to the government to ensure women were safe enough to run on the streets without fear and called on the perpetrator to hand himself over to authorities.

The Diepkloof Athletics Club also confirmed that it would host a marathon in Moselakgomo’s honour on 15 November. The proceeds would be donated to support her daughter and other family members. More details of the marathon will be announced at a later stage.

GBVF committee update

Speaking during a media briefing to provide an update on government action, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga said the The Inter-Ministerial Committe on Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) met on 17 September for a briefing from the national joint operational and intelligence structure (Natjoints) and to consider recommendations on how to speed up the hunt for the perpetrators.

The committee approved a Comprehensive Emergency Strategy framed around three pillars of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF:

1. Prevention and rebuilding social cohesion

2. Law enforcement, protection, safety and justice

3. Victim and survivor-centred support

Chikunga said anyone with information was urged to contact Warrant Officer Elvis Manyike on 082 465 7249 or call the SAPS Crime Stop number 08600 10111. Information may be provided anonymously.

Chikunga called on families to check on female relatives in Kempton Park, Kwa-Thema and Tembisa, and to report missing persons to the police immediately.

“There is no requirement to wait 24 hours before reporting a person missing,” she stressed, urging families to provide recent photographs, descriptions, last-known whereabouts and any other details that could help investigators.

SAPS ‘deploys all resources’

Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia said the SAPS was deploying all necessary resources, both human and financial, to deal with the crisis. 

“We announced the setting up of a multidisciplinary team led by a provincial commissioner; it is now led by Lieutenant General Hilda Khosi Senthumule, and she is being assisted by Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo, the head of Crime Intelligence and  Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi, the provincial Police Commissioner for KwaZulu-Natal. That team is working; they are making progress,” he said. 

Alongside the investigative work, he stressed that police had stepped up visible policing in the affected areas to reassure residents that their safety was being treated as a priority, with additional officers deployed and operations put in place around key points in Ekurhuleni.

Cachalia said investigations were continuing and progress had been made. 

Three called in for questioning

“There are now three persons of interest who have been called in for questioning, but these investigations have not confirmed conclusively that we are dealing with a serial killer,” he said.

Cachalia said all the cases were not necessarily linked and there was some indication of differing modus operandi as well as different motives, but nothing had yet been excluded while investigations continued.

He also addressed a video widely circulated on social media showing a man confronting and threatening a group of women inside the ladies’ room at Vlamo restaurant at Sandton Gate.

The man has since been identified. He allegedly followed a group of women into the ladies’ toilet after they repeatedly rejected his romantic advances.

In the widely circulated footage, he is heard verbally abusing the women and threatening them. He also boasted about his personal wealth, claiming he could buy the restaurant and avoid legal consequences.

Cachalia said the threats in the video amounted to unlawful conduct in South Africa.

“It is illegal, it is unlawful, and the police are prioritising this case. We are looking for him; I do not want to say anything more because this is an active investigation [...] the police have very clear instructions from the political leadership that we want this man brought to book,” he said. DM