Running News Daily

What should have been an ordinary afternoon run ended in devastating tragedy for 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, a mother, dedicated runner and much-loved member of South Africa’s running community.

Moselakgomo left her home in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg, on September 10 for a run — something that had become a familiar part of her life. But when she failed to return home, the routine quickly turned into a desperate search.

Her eight-year-old daughter was among the first to realise that something was wrong and raised the alarm when her mother did not come home. Family, friends and authorities were left hoping that the missing runner would be found safe.

Two days later, that hope was shattered.

Moselakgomo’s body was discovered on September 12 behind a hotel in the Rhodesfield area. She was found wearing sports clothing, and her family later identified her remains at the Germiston mortuary on September 14. Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding her death are continuing.

For the running community, the tragedy has been particularly painful because Tsontso was not simply someone who occasionally went out for exercise. Running was part of who she was.

She was a member of Team Vitality and Waterfall City Athletics Club, and had recently completed the Wanderers 21K in Johannesburg on August 23. She was also known beyond the running community as the manager of Festival Mall and a member of her church choir.

Those who knew her have remembered her as a vibrant and energetic woman who brought warmth to the communities around her.

Her death has also unfolded against a deeply disturbing backdrop.

By September 15, police were investigating the deaths of six women whose bodies had been discovered in and around Kempton Park and the wider East Rand since July. Moselakgomo is the only one among the victims to have been publicly identified so far. Police have established a task team to investigate the cases and determine whether there are connections between them.

One suspect linked to the first case remains in custody, while investigators continue working on the other cases. Authorities have not established that all of the deaths are connected, making it important for the investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding each case individually.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s athletics and running fraternity.

Athletics South Africa, Team Vitality and Waterfall City Athletics Club have all expressed their grief and extended condolences to Moselakgomo’s family. Athletics South Africa said her death highlighted the vulnerability of women who should be able to participate in sport and exercise without fear for their safety.

The response from runners has been immediate and deeply personal.

On Tuesday, Waterfall City Athletics Club and Run Alex Athletics organised tribute runs and walks in her honour, bringing runners together not only to remember Tsontso but also to stand together during a moment of fear and grief within the running community.

Members of TZD Sports Club in Eswatini also ran a 10-kilometre tribute in her memory, showing how far her story has travelled beyond the streets where she once trained and raced.

Across South Africa, runners have been turning their usual training sessions into moments of remembrance — some wearing black, others gathering in groups and many simply showing up to honour a fellow runner whose life was tragically cut short.

But the tributes have also carried a broader message.

Running With Sole Athletics Club has called for stronger safety measures, including more police presence, functioning street lights and safer running routes. The club stressed that running should represent freedom, health, community and joy — not fear.

That message has resonated strongly with runners, particularly women who have long had to think about safety before deciding when, where and with whom they can run.

For many, a run is a simple escape from the pressures of everyday life. It is a chance to clear the mind, improve health, chase a personal goal or spend time with friends. It should not be an activity that requires someone to constantly wonder whether they will make it home.

For Tsontso’s eight-year-old daughter and her family, however, this is no longer an abstract concern about safety.

It is the painful reality of losing a mother who left home for a run and never returned.

The running community can now only carry her memory forward — through the races she completed, the clubs she belonged to, the people she inspired and the miles that runners will continue to dedicate to her.

Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo went out doing something she loved.

She should have been able to finish her run, walk through the door and return to the daughter who was waiting for her.

She should have made it home.