- Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who was 38 years old, has now been identified after she vanished while out for a run in Rhodesfield.
- A fifth woman was found dead in Olifantsfontein on 14 September, which has increased concern about a possible link between these cases.
- SAPS has set up a dedicated multidisciplinary task team but has not confirmed whether the deaths are linked or if a serial killer is involved.
The search for Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo ended with confirmation of her death, and her identification has brought her case into sharper focus alongside the deaths of four other women found in and around Kempton Park since July.
This development came as police were also dealing with the discovery of a fifth woman’s body in Olifantsfontein, which has raised more questions about whether these cases could be connected.
Moselakgomo’s family identified her body at the Germiston mortuary on Monday 14 September 2026, five days after she left her home in Rhodesfield for an afternoon run and did not return. Her disappearance led to a community search, and her body was found behind a hotel in Rhodesfield on 12 September.
She was wearing sports clothing and was partially clothed when found. Police withheld her identity while they tried to contact her family.
A fifth body changes the picture
On the same day Moselakgomo was identified, police discovered another woman’s body under a bridge in Olifantsfontein. She was found partially naked and bruised. Investigators are looking into the circumstances of her death and whether she may have been killed elsewhere before her body was left there. Her identity has not been released yet.
With this latest discovery, five women have now been found dead in the greater Kempton Park and Olifantsfontein area in the past two months. Some similarities between the cases have raised concerns, but police have not confirmed any links between the deaths.
Five deaths under investigation
The first case dates back to 15 July, when a 37-year-old woman was found near the R21 in Kempton Park. She was found naked and restrained with cable ties. A suspect was arrested two days later, and that investigation is still ongoing.
A 32-year-old woman was found near the same area of the R21 on 24 August, and her body was partially clothed when it was discovered.
On 10 September, police recovered the body of an unidentified woman from a spruit near the R21 and Voortrekker Road crossing. She was naked and in an advanced state of decomposition. An inquest docket was opened as investigators worked to establish her identity and learn more about how she died.
Moselakgomo’s body was found in Rhodesfield on 12 September, and two days later, the fifth woman’s body was found in Olifantsfontein.
The number of cases and their similarities have led to speculation about a possible common offender. However, police have warned against jumping to conclusions before all the evidence has been reviewed.
Police bring in specialists
Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane has directed Gauteng police to set up a dedicated multidisciplinary task team to figure out whether these cases are connected.
The team is led by Gauteng Deputy Provincial Commissioner Major General Mbuso Khumalo and includes detectives from specialised units like the Murder and Robbery Unit and the Investigative Psychology Unit.
Acting Gauteng Police Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana said the similarities are concerning but warned that it is too soon to say anything for certain. “While there are similarities in some of the circumstances surrounding the cases, it would be premature at this stage to conclude that the four cases are linked or that they involve one perpetrator,” Kekana said.
Investigators will now compare forensic evidence, track the movements of the victims, look at surveillance footage, examine cellphone information, speak to witnesses, and go through other evidence to find out whether these cases have anything in common.
A community demanding answers
These developments have caused more concern among residents, especially women who walk or run in the area. Police have urged women in and around Kempton Park, especially in Rhodesfield, not to walk or run alone in isolated areas and, if possible, to travel or exercise in groups.
SAPS has also asked residents, motorists, security staff and anyone else who might have seen anything suspicious in Rhodesfield and the surrounding areas to come forward with any information they might have.
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