‘She was our glue’: Elizabeth Moselakgomo’s family breaks silence
· The South African
The family of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo has broken its silence after formally identifying the missing Kempton Park runner’s body.
Moselakgomo’s relatives identified the 38-year-old at the Germiston mortuary on Monday, bringing an end to the search that began after she left her Rhodesfield home for a run and never returned.
Visit saltysenoritaaz.org for more information.
Her family described the loss as devastating and said relatives were receiving support from the community.
Family members also expressed confidence in the police investigation.
Tsontso’s uncle, Andries Moraka, said SAPS had kept the family informed about developments.
“The information is to our satisfaction because there’s something that is being done behind the scenes,” he said. “They are constantly updating me.”
Family spokesperson Andries Matlaila, says 38-year-old Elizabeth Mokolo Moselakgomo, whose body has now been positively identified, was the glue that held them together. Moselakgomo was reported missing after leaving her Rhodesfield home in Kempton Park for a run on Thursday.… pic.twitter.com/ibtvFaBtSQ
— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 14, 2026
Police confirm Elizabeth was fourth woman found
SAPS confirmed that Moselakgomo was the fourth woman found dead in the Kempton Park area.
Police found her body behind a hotel in Rhodesfield on 12 September. Officers had previously said the woman was wearing sports clothing and was partially clothed.
Authorities withheld her identity until her family completed the formal mortuary identification.
Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane sent her condolences to the family and vowed to establish what happened to Moselakgomo.
Dimpane said SAPS would “leave no stone unturned” in identifying those responsible and bringing them to justice.
SAPS intensifies investigation
Police are now investigating five women’s deaths across the broader Kempton Park and Olifantsfontein area.
Authorities found a fifth woman dead in Olifantsfontein on Monday, the same day Moselakgomo’s family identified her.
Dimpane has instructed a multidisciplinary team to intensify its work.
Detectives and specialised police units are examining the circumstances surrounding each death, analysing evidence and looking for possible links where the evidence supports them.
SAPS has not confirmed that all five deaths are connected.
Police have made one arrest in connection with the first woman found dead in July. The suspect remains in custody, and SAPS has not linked that person to Moselakgomo’s death or the other cases.
Family refuses to speculate
Moselakgomo’s relatives have also declined to speculate about whether her death is connected to the other cases under investigation.
Moraka said the family would allow police to establish the facts.
The family had previously urged the public not to circulate unverified information while they waited for formal identification.
Police say investigators will continue working around the clock to establish what happened to each of the women and pursue those responsible.