A suspect has been arrested after being found in possession of a Garmin watch belonging to murdered runner, Elizabeth ‘Tsontso’ Moselakgomo.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that the suspect was expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday, on a charge of possession of stolen property.
While the recovery of Moselakgomo’s Garmin watch has led to an arrest, police have not established publicly whether the suspect was involved in her death.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said no murder charge had been brought against the suspect and that investigations were continuing. “The suspect is likely to face a charge of being in possession of stolen property. At this stage, no murder charge has been brought against the suspect. Investigations are ongoing,” Mathe said.
The arrest comes amid mounting concern over the killings of at least 10 women whose bodies were discovered in Kempton Park and the wider Ekurhuleni area over approximately two months. The cases have sparked widespread public outrage, heightened fears among residents and renewed calls for urgent action against gender-based violence and femicide.
READ MORE: Ramaphosa vows to ‘pull out all stops’ to find Ekurhuleni murderers
Moselakgomo reported missing on September 10
Moselakgomo was reported missing on September 10 after leaving her home in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park, for an afternoon jog.
When she failed to return, a search was launched. Her body was discovered with severe bruising two days later in Rhodesfield.
READ MORE: Body of missing runner Elizabeth ‘Tsontso’ Moselakgomo positively identified
Her death sent shock through the community and intensified public concern over women’s safety in South Africa. The discovery of her body, alongside those of other women in the Ekurhuleni area, fuelled demands for answers and calls for law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice.
The number of victims has also raised questions about whether the killings could be connected. However, authorities have cautioned against drawing conclusions, saying investigators have not established that the deaths were the work of a single perpetrator.
During a national address last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was assisting police with digital forensic investigations into the killings.
“There’s been understandably widespread fear that the discovery of these women in close proximity could indicate the work of a single perpetrator. At present police have not found evidence establishing that these killings were committed by a single perpetrator. All possibilities remain under investigation,” Ramaphosa said.
- A suspect was arrested for possession of a Garmin watch belonging to murdered runner Elizabeth 'Tsontso' Moselakgomo.
- The suspect is expected to appear in Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on a charge of possession of stolen property, with no murder charge currently filed.
- Moselakgomo was reported missing on September 10 and her body was found two days later with severe bruising in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park.
- At least 10 women’s bodies have been found in Kempton Park and Ekurhuleni over two months, prompting public outrage and calls for action on gender-based violence.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa said the CSIR is aiding digital forensic investigations and no evidence yet links the killings to a single perpetrator.
