‘Tomorrow I could be next’: South Africans unite over women’s killings - IOL

As police prepare to “lock down” Kempton Park and surrounding areas, South Africans took to the streets in silent marches and tribute runs, saying enough is enough after eight women’s bodies were found across Ekurhuleni.

The police operation, which will see Operation Shanela massively expanded, comes as communities from Gauteng to the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal unite in grief and fear, honouring the women who lost their lives and demanding action to prevent more from becoming victims.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi revealed during a media briefing on Tuesday night that the province had requested additional assistance as police prepared to intensify the operation and “lock down” Kempton Park and surrounding areas. 

However, Gauteng government spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga on Wednesday said he could not comment further while police investigations were under way.

Crime expert Yusuf Abramjee said the term “lockdown” should be understood as an intensified law-enforcement operation and not a blanket shutdown of Kempton Park.

He said residents should not expect schools, shopping centres, businesses, or workplaces to close, but should instead expect increased police visibility, patrols, intelligence gathering, stop-and-search operations where appropriate, and specialised units as part of the expanded Operation Shanela.

“The objective must be twofold: to prevent further attacks and, equally importantly, to gather the evidence needed to identify and arrest whoever is responsible for these horrific killings,” Abramjee said.

He said the response needed to be “highly visible, intelligence-led, and sustained”, warning that a short-term surge in policing would not be enough.

While increased police visibility could have a deterrent effect, Abramjee said it would have to be followed by arrests, forensic breakthroughs, intelligence-driven operations, and successful prosecutions.

“Ultimately, residents want to see action — not just announcements. The eight women whose bodies have been found deserve justice, and the residents of Ekurhuleni deserve to feel safe in their own communities.”

The police response comes as ordinary South Africans continue to call for greater safety beyond Kempton Park.

For activist Jessica Foord, founder of the Jes Foord Foundation, Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo’s death has highlighted the fear women face while carrying out the most ordinary parts of their lives.

“The horrifying reality of violence against women in South Africa is the knowledge that it could be you next — not because you did something reckless, but while doing something as ordinary as going for a run in your own neighbourhood. 

“We absolutely need to talk about practical safety, but we cannot keep making women responsible for preventing violence committed against them,” she said.

Foord said women in under-resourced communities also lived with fear during routine journeys, including walking to taxi ranks or travelling short distances to work.

She added that prevention work also needed to involve boys and young men through conversations about consent, respect, boundaries, and healthy masculinity, while authorities needed to address overgrown areas, poor lighting, and unsecured public spaces.

In Cape Town, 24-year-old stylist and activist Jemina Madonna organised a silent march at the Castle of Good Hope on Wednesday after repeatedly seeing reports of women’s bodies being discovered in Gauteng.

Madonna said the killings could not be treated as a Gauteng problem simply because the bodies had been found there.

“We are not part of any association, any political party, or any organisation that deals with these certain things. But we are on social media so much that you can't even focus on the things that you want to do on social media because every second scroll is a dead body that's been found.”

In Gauteng, runners gathered on Tuesday morning to honour Moselakgomo, whose disappearance and death have shaken the running community.

Bethuel Mangena of the Stallion Running Club said the gathering was about making it clear that women should not have to choose between their safety and their passion for running.

“Tsontso embodies the collective experience of all women, including mothers, wives, and sisters,” Mangena said.

He called for greater police and private-security visibility along running routes.

Runners in KwaZulu-Natal also took to the streets in memory of Moselakgomo and other runners. 

The 5km run started at 5am from Florida Road, with runners dressed in black in solidarity with Moselakgomo and victims of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

“For me, it's very important to come out today, first of all, because tomorrow I can be next,” Pulu said.

Before her death, Moselakgomo was a member of Team Vitality and had recently completed the Wanderers 21km. Discovery Vitality has called on members to wear pink and join group runs at Team Vitality Zones on Thursday and Saturday, September 17 and 19, as well as parkruns on Saturday morning.

The running community has also continued to rally behind Moselakgomo’s family, with a BackaBuddy campaign launched to support her daughter and family. The community had raised R84 533 by Wednesday morning, surpassing its initial R50 000 target.

However, beyond the tributes, the National Council on GBVF has demanded justice for the women whose bodies have been found in Ekurhuleni.

The council said it expected thorough investigations, timely forensic turnaround, and properly resourced prosecutions, and would seek a formal briefing from the SAPS and relevant provincial and municipal authorities on the cases and safety measures being put in place.

“This is intolerable, and it is not inevitable. The council demands justice,” it said.

The council said women remained unidentified and appealed to families with missing loved ones in Gauteng to approach the SAPS and the Gauteng Department of Health so DNA identification could proceed.

Police have urged residents to provide information that could assist the investigation and warned against spreading unverified claims, particularly allegations that the deaths are the work of a serial killer or that specific individuals are responsible. Authorities have not confirmed that the eight cases are linked.

The nationwide calls have also fuelled demands for tougher action. A Change.org petition launched on September 14 is calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty for offenders convicted of femicide. The petition page says it has attracted more than 300 000 signatures.