The family of missing runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo has positively identified her body at the Germiston mortuary, bringing a heartbreaking end to days of searching for the 38-year-old mother.
Moselakgomo disappeared last Wednesday after leaving her eight-year-old daughter at home to go for a run. Her disappearance sparked concern among family members and the wider community, who had been hoping for her safe return.
Police confirmed that Moselakgomo’s body was identified by her family on Monday as investigators continue to probe a series of deaths involving women in the Kempton Park and Olifantsfontein areas.
Her death is being investigated alongside the discovery of four other women’s bodies found separately in the broader Kempton Park area over the past two months. A fifth woman’s body was recently discovered in Olifantsfontein, approximately five kilometres from the R21.
Authorities have not confirmed that the five cases are connected. However, police have assembled a multidisciplinary team to investigate the circumstances surrounding each death and determine whether there are any links between the cases.
The acting national commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, expressed condolences to the Moselakgomo family following the identification.
Dimpane said investigators would continue working to establish exactly what happened to Moselakgomo and ensure that those responsible, if foul play is confirmed, are brought to justice.
Police have also confirmed that one suspect has already been arrested in connection with the first body discovered in July. The suspect remains in custody while investigations continue.
The latest developments have increased pressure on law enforcement to establish whether the deaths form part of a broader pattern. Investigators are examining available evidence and pursuing possible connections between the cases, although no definitive link has yet been established.
For Moselakgomo’s family, however, the investigation comes amid deep grief following the loss of a loved one who had been reported missing after an ordinary running outing.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing and that specialised resources have been deployed to help determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The identification of Moselakgomo also comes as police appeal to the public for assistance in identifying the woman whose body was most recently found in Olifantsfontein.
Authorities have urged anyone with information that could assist the investigation to come forward as detectives work to piece together the events surrounding the deaths.
As investigations continue, the focus remains on establishing the facts in each case, determining whether any of the incidents are connected and ensuring that the families affected receive answers and justice.
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