- Civil society says the Ekurhuleni murders have become a national test of South Africa’s resolve to end gender-based violence.
- Human rights groups reject the idea that women should be responsible for preventing their own murders by limiting their movements.
- Government, churches and community organisations are calling for stronger policing, properly funded GBVF programmes and greater accountability.
The discovery of women’s bodies in Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein and KwaThema has sparked an outpouring of condemnation from churches, legal organisations, civil society groups and political leaders.
While police continue to investigate whether the murders are connected, the national conversation has shifted from fear to calls for accountability. Organisations across the country say the killings have exposed serious failures in policing, prevention, victim protection and the government’s own promises to fight gender-based violence and femicide.
Communities across Ekurhuleni are mourning the victims, including runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, whose death has become a symbol of the crisis facing women in South Africa.
Women cannot carry the burden of their own safety
Lawyers for Human Rights has strongly criticised recent warnings urging women not to walk or exercise alone. The organisation says women are already living with extraordinary vigilance. They regularly change their routes, share live locations, travel in groups and avoid public spaces after dark. Despite these precautions, women continue to be attacked in their homes, workplaces, taxis and neighbourhoods.
The organisation says the responsibility for preventing violence cannot be pushed onto women themselves. It argues that the constitutional duty belongs to the state, which must ensure effective policing, a functioning justice system and properly funded interventions that prevent violence before it happens.
The group has also questioned why the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide still lacks the funding and implementation needed to match the scale of the crisis.
Churches condemn a moral failure
The South African Council of Churches has described the killings as evidence of a national moral collapse and a failure of the country’s governance system to protect women.
General Secretary Reverend Mzwandile Molo says every woman has the right to live and move freely without fear. He adds that women should never have to restrict their movements because violent predators occupy public spaces.
The council says the national disaster declaration on gender-based violence and femicide should lead to real, visible and properly funded action. It wants stronger investigations, effective prosecution, well-resourced shelters and prevention programmes, and greater accountability from every government department responsible for protecting women.
The church body has also challenged faith communities to confront patriarchy within their own institutions and urged men to break the silence that allows violence against women to continue.
Mandela Foundation warns against symbolic progress
Nelson Mandela Foundation’s Chief Executive Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi says declarations, councils and commemorative events do not count as progress unless women actually feel safer in their communities, schools, workplaces, police stations and courts.
He says the country must stop confusing public ceremonies with real change. Instead, he believes South Africa must focus on transforming the institutions responsible for preventing violence and delivering justice.
Government strengthens operational response
The government has responded by stepping up security operations across the affected parts of Gauteng. Deputy President Paul Mashatile condemned the murders and called on law enforcement agencies to work with communities to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Mashatile also urged men to take an active role in rejecting violence against women and to help protect vulnerable members of society.
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department has increased patrols around transit hubs, isolated public spaces, parks and pedestrian routes bordering Ekurhuleni. The metro police say they are working closely with the South African Police Service through intelligence sharing, surveillance and joint law enforcement operations.
Police have put together a multidisciplinary team of specialist detectives, forensic experts, investigative psychologists and intelligence officers to pursue every possible lead.
Communities demand accountability
The South African National Taxi Council, Not In My Name, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, RISE Mzansi and several other organisations have joined the growing call for decisive action.
SANTACO says the murders demonstrate the urgent need for safer public transport and greater community awareness, especially after its recent anti-gender-based violence campaign in Kempton Park.
Not In My Name has launched its “Madoda Sabelani” campaign, calling on men to publicly pledge never to commit, condone or ignore violence against women.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation says that while temporary safety advice may be necessary during an ongoing investigation, it should not become the permanent norm for women’s freedom of movement. The foundation insists that government must answer for failures in proactive policing, surveillance and public safety infrastructure.
RISE Mzansi has also appealed to employers to introduce flexible working hours for women who have to travel through isolated areas before dawn or after dark, saying that protecting lives should come before strict work schedules.
SAPS urges caution over fake news
The SAPS has expressed serious concern about the spread of fake news on social media. The police service urges anyone who has published, seen or received the false information to ignore it and not share or forward it any further. This is a reminder to use social media responsibly. Delete, don’t share.
Senior officials, including Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister of Social Development Dinah Pule, Deputy Minister of Police Dr Polly Boshielo, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, led a high-level delegation meeting at the SAPS Gauteng Provincial Head Office in Parktown on Tuesday night.
By Wednesday morning, 16 September 2026, eight bodies had been found, and investigations were continuing. One suspect has been arrested in connection with a murder committed in July. Police are still searching for a person of interest, and a reward of R400,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the wanted suspect or suspects.
Get your news on the go. Click here to follow the Conviction WhatsApp channel.;
