Kempton Park Horrors: Unraveling the Mystery of Missing Runner and Multiple Deaths

The family of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, a 38-year-old runner from Kempton Park, has appealed to the public to cease circulating unverified information as they await definitive answers regarding her disappearance. Moselakgomo went missing after leaving her Rhodesfield home for a run and never returned. The family is currently waiting to confirm if an unidentified woman found in the York Street area on Saturday is indeed Elizabeth. Due to the injuries sustained by the woman and the late hour, relatives were unable to identify her at the scene. Her body was subsequently taken to the state mortuary, where family members will proceed with the formal identification process on Monday.

New details have emerged concerning a broader investigation into four women found dead in the Kempton Park area over a span of approximately two months, from July to September 2026. The fourth woman discovered was reportedly wearing sports gear, a detail that has drawn a connection to Moselakgomo's case. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has intensified its investigation into these grim discoveries.

SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe indicated that detectives have identified striking similarities in the circumstances surrounding these deaths. The women were found half-naked, exhibited visible bruising, and their bodies were discovered within the same vicinity. In response to these alarming incidents, Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane has instructed the Gauteng police to establish a multidisciplinary task team. This team comprises detectives from the Murder and Robbery Unit and experts from the Investigative Psychology Unit, tasked with investigating the cases and determining any potential links between them. The search for Elizabeth Moselakgomo, who was last seen in Mustang Street after leaving her home for an afternoon run on Wednesday, has become an integral part of this wider police investigation.

Despite the similarities, Acting Gauteng Police Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana confirmed that while a suspect has been arrested in one of the four cases, police are investigating all four incidents separately. The multidisciplinary team is examining possible connections, but Kekana emphasized that it would be premature to conclude at this stage that the four cases are linked or involve a single perpetrator. He reiterated that SAPS’s responsibility is to establish facts through concrete evidence.

The details of the four victims found are as follows: The first victim, a 37-year-old woman, was discovered near the R21 on July 15. She was found naked and restrained with cable ties, leading to the arrest of a suspect two days later, who remains in custody. The second victim, a 32-year-old woman, was found partially clothed near the R21 on August 24. The third woman was found on September 10, naked and in an advanced state of decomposition, and remains unidentified. The fourth victim, a 38-year-old woman, was found behind a hotel in Rhodesfield on September 12. She was partially clothed and wearing sports attire; her family still awaits formal identification at the mortuary.

To thoroughly investigate these cases, SAPS has deployed a range of specialist teams, including detectives, forensic specialists, tracking teams, K9 Search and Rescue members, and experts from the Investigative Psychology Unit. These teams are meticulously comparing evidence, timelines, locations, victim profiles, and the specific circumstances surrounding each death. Kekana stressed that investigators would follow the evidence before making any determination on whether the cases are connected, stating, “We are not limiting ourselves to one suspect or one theory.” The investigation will also explore the possibility of multiple suspects or if the deaths are part of separate, unrelated incidents.

SAPS has urged the public and media to refrain from drawing conclusions until investigators have completed their work. Furthermore, police have issued a strong advisory to women and girls in Kempton Park, particularly Rhodesfield, to exercise extreme caution and to avoid walking, running, or exercising alone in isolated areas whenever possible.