By The tragic death of 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo has sent shockwaves throughout Gauteng, prompting a passionate and urgent call to action from MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile.
Moselakgomo, who went missing after heading out for a routine run from her home in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park, was tragically identified by her family at the Germiston mortuary.
Her disappearance had initially sparked a desperate, community-led search alongside law enforcement, but hopes for her safe return were shattered with the confirmation of her death. The devastating loss has amplified national anxieties surrounding safety, as this heart-breaking case coincides with deep concerns over the recent discovery of several bodies of women in and around the Kempton Park area.
While the South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed a multidisciplinary investigation team to look into the circumstances and determine if any of the cases are linked, authorities have urged the public to avoid premature speculation.
Speaking on the crisis, MEC Maile emphasized the profound injustice of women having to live in constant fear. “Elizabeth went out to exercise, something millions of people should be able to do without fear, and she did not return home,” Maile stated. Highlighting the personal agony behind the headlines, he noted that an eight-year-old girl—Elizabeth’s young daughter—was reportedly the first to realize her mother had not returned. “No child should have to endure such an experience,” he added.
Maile maintained that the escalating rate of femicide and gender-based violence (GBV) represents a profound moral and social crisis that society can no longer afford to treat as a fleeting statistic. He argued that women should not have to adapt their lives, alter their routes, or live as prisoners of fear in their own communities just to stay safe.
Emphasizing that the burden of protection cannot rest on government or law enforcement alone, Maile called for a united front across all societal structures. He stressed that families, schools, religious institutions, civil society, workplaces, and particularly men, share a collective responsibility to dismantle cultures of silence and confront warning signs before they turn fatal.
Addressing the root causes, Maile pointed to the critical role of the education sector in shaping societal values from an early age. He noted that schools act as a microcosm of society, making it essential to teach boys that true masculinity is never defined by domination, intimidation, or violence. Instead, children must be raised to value dignity, consent, equality, and the sanctity of human life.
Directing a sharp message toward men, Maile urged them to step up and actively challenge misogyny, harassment, and abuse within their own social circles. “Silence in the presence of abuse creates space for abuse to continue,” he warned, stressing that the fight against femicide cannot remain a conversation confined only to women.
As police continue their evidence-based investigation, the Gauteng Provincial Government has extended its deepest condolences to Moselakgomo’s daughter, family, and loved ones. Authorities have appealed to anyone with relevant information to come forward and cooperate fully with the SAPS to ensure those responsible face the full might of the criminal justice system.
