Hundreds of runners gathered on Saturday morning to run 13km through Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg, in memory of Elizabeth Moselakgomo and eight other women murdered in the area since mid-July. Moselakgomo, a 38-year-old well-known resident, was last seen on September 9 while going for a run and her body was found three days later. The run was organized by local running clubs amid growing fears and anger over the murders.
The murders have sparked widespread concern, with many residents expressing frustration and fear about the safety of the area. Hlompho Matji, a 47-year-old data analyst who lives in the same neighborhood as Moselakgomo, said people should be able to run safely without constantly looking over their shoulders. "We want to take back our streets," Matji said, adding that residents should be protected at all times.
Busisiwe Pakati, a 53-year-old software engineer and experienced runner, said the violence affects women's freedom and self-confidence. "It must stop, because they are taking away our freedom and now also our self-confidence," Pakati said. Mkhuleko Tshabalala, a 50-year-old financial advisor from Kempton Park, also participated in the run and had often seen Moselakgomo on the running routes.
The bodies of some of the murdered women were found partially undressed and with signs of assault, sparking fears that a serial killer or group of killers may be operating in the area. Investigators have not confirmed these fears but have established that some women were not murdered at the scenes where their bodies were found. Moselakgomo's body was found next to a quiet, secluded driveway.
Moselakgomo will be buried on Sunday in Phake, a small village in the northeast of Mpumalanga. The run in Kempton Park was part of a series of gatherings across the country, with people coming together to remember victims and demand action against violence against women. Over 1,000 students took part in a vigil at the University of Cape Town on Friday evening.
The student leader, Kitso Mojapelo, said the daily murders leave people wondering if their own loved ones could be next. "Every day, a murder takes place, and there's always the thought that it could be my mother, my sister, one of my cousins, one of my classmates, my lecturer, or my fellow student," Mojapelo said, adding that there is a growing sense of frustration and anger.
South Africa's average murder rate exceeds 60 per day, one of the highest in the world, according to the United Nations. One in every three women in South Africa experiences physical or sexual violence during her lifetime. The gathering in Kempton Park and others like it are a call to action to address the growing concern of violence against women in the country.
Key points
- Hundreds of runners in South Africa held a 13km run to remember a woman and eight others murdered in the Kempton Park area near Johannesburg.
