Your days are numbered, top cop warns Ekurhuleni women killer(s)

Deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili has warned the culprits behind the killing of five women in Ekurhuleni that their days of freedom are numbered.

Mosikili said their 72-hour investigation is in full force, with more boots on the ground to trace the perpetrators.

She said the team includes detectives, forensic investigators, K-9 unit, tracing unit, metro police and intelligence chasing several leads which they hope to close by the end of the week.

“We are coming for you…Your hiding is not going to be long, you may think that you have removed all the evidence. The capacity and capabilities that we are having will ensure that we do find you from where you are hiding…

“Your days are numbered. This is not a threat, it’s a fact. We will bring closure for these [victims’] families,” Mosikili warned during a press conference on Monday night.

Mosikili said since January, at least 17 cases of missing people have been reported in Kempton Park with 14 already reunited with their families while three are still unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, family of slain runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo has praised the deceased eight-year-old daughter for raising the alarm when her mother failed to return home from her routine run.

The child noticed around 6.30pm on Wednesday that her mother had missed her arrival time from her jog after work.

Her alertness helped the family realise that something was wrong.

Family spokesperson Lt-Col Andries Matlaila said the child played a crucial role in alerting relatives to her mother’s disappearance.

“Rest assured, the daughter actually pulled off one of the best iconic moments because we all received the news from an eight-year-old,” Matlaila said.

“Tsontso [Moselakgomo] had a routine after work. She would make time to go jogging, so I still take my hat off to that young girl because she broke the news after she noticed that her mother had not arrived home at the normal time.”

Moselakgomo’s body was identified by her family at the Germiston mortuary on Monday. She was one of the four women whose bodies were discovered in the Kempton Park vicinity in Ekurhuleni over the past two months.

Police are also investigating the discovery of a fifth woman’s body in Olifantsfontein on Monday, raising fears of a potential serial killer roaming in the Ekurhuleni metro.

Matlaila said Moselakgomo and her daughter shared a close bond. He described Moselakgomo as a devoted mother who loved music and was passionate about running. She was also an accomplished road runner and athlete.

Her child is now receiving psychosocial support following the traumatic experience.

Matlaila said the family was struggling to come to terms with Moselakgomo’s death. “As a family we are in shock. We are trying to digest it. We are grieving,” he said. “It will never be easy to accept what we are going through now. It is painful.”

Moselakgomo’s death has also shaken the running community, with runners expressing fear about their safety while exercising.

Corporate attorney and founder of Running with Tumi Running Club, Tumi Sole, said the community was devastated and urged runners to support one another.

“We are tired of another hashtag!” Sole said. “We cannot be killed for running and managing our mental health.”

Sole called on government and municipalities to ensure streets are properly lit and that safe pavements are available for runners. He said people should not have to wait for another tragedy before action is taken.

#Notinmyname spokesperson Boitumelo Thage said the organisation was horrified and outraged by the discovery of the five women’s bodies.

“The pattern is undeniable. Five women, half-naked, bruised, discarded in the same vicinity. Whether SAPS labels this a ‘serial killer’ or not is a matter of semantics. What we know is that a predator, or predators, is hunting women in Kempton Park,” Thage said.

Earlier, police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe urged the public not to speculate about a possible serial killer while investigations were continuing.

Mathe confirmed there were striking similarities among the five bodies, including that they were found partially naked and with visible bruising.

Police have asked people who have opened missing persons cases to approach Olifantsfontein police station or nearby stations to assist with identification of the remaining bodies.

The latest body was found on the side of the road by a passerby on his way to work on Monday morning. The woman was partially naked, bruised and appeared to have been dumped there.