Runners gathered in Bryanston, Johannesburg, on Tuesday morning to honour 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, whose body was identified after she disappeared while out for her routine run in Kempton Park.

The gathering comes as fear continues to spread among runners and residents in the area following the discovery of the bodies of five women in Kempton Park and surrounding areas over the past two months.

For many runners, an activity that has long been associated with health, freedom and community has become increasingly frightening.

Waterfall City Athletics Club, which joined calls for runners to remember Moselakgomo, said her death was a painful reminder of the dangers women face while simply going about their daily lives.

“A runner went out to do something she loved and her story is a heartbreaking reminder of the reality many women face every time they step onto the road,” the club told media.

Moselakgomo disappeared after leaving her home in Rhodesfield for a run on September 9.

Her eight-year-old daughter raised the alarm after her mother failed to return home. The child contacted family members, who then reported Moselakgomo missing.

The search ended in tragedy when a woman’s body was found in Rhodesfield on September 12, near York Street and the R21, close to the Southern Sun OR Tambo. Her family identified the body at the Germiston mortuary on Monday.

Speaking to the media after the identification, Moselakgomo’s uncle, Andries Moraka Matlaila, praised the child for raising the alarm when she realised her mother had not returned.

“I still take my hat off to that young lady. She is the one who broke the news after she noticed that at 6:30 pm the mother did not return. That is how we all received the information,” Matlaila said.

Matlaila described Moselakgomo as the “glue of the family”, saying her presence was felt at family gatherings and that she was deeply involved in the lives of her relatives. She was also remembered as a devoted mother, churchgoer, professional and keen runner.

The police investigation has now widened as detectives work to determine whether the deaths of the five women are connected.

Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane has directed a multidisciplinary team comprising detectives and specialised policing resources to intensify the investigation.

Dimpane said the team was working around the clock to establish the circumstances surrounding each death, analyse available evidence, determine whether there were possible links between the cases and follow all leads.

“We will not rest until we have established the truth. Where there is evidence linking individuals to these crimes, we will pursue them relentlessly and ensure that they face the full might of the law,” Dimpane said.

She also extended condolences to Moselakgomo’s family.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Elizabeth during this extremely painful time,” Dimpane said, adding that SAPS would do everything within its powers to establish what happened and hold those responsible accountable.

Police have stressed that they have not established that a serial killer is responsible for the deaths, despite similarities identified between some of the cases.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said detectives, tracking teams and the investigative psychology unit were comparing evidence from the various dockets to determine whether the cases were connected. One suspect has been arrested in connection with the first body discovered in July and remains in custody.

The deaths have prompted political parties and civil society organisations to demand stronger policing in the area.

The ANC caucus in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature has called for an intensified deployment of SAPS, Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens, Metro Police and Community Policing Forums in crime hotspots.

The ANC said women should be able to run, walk, work and move freely without fearing violent crime.

The EFF has also called for a comprehensive investigation into the deaths, including an examination of previous missing-person reports and the police response to them.

EFF national spokesperson Sixolise Gcilishe said every missing woman should be treated as a potential victim of violence and should trigger an immediate and properly resourced investigation.

The Motor Industry Staff Association also condemned Moselakgomo’s killing and called for intelligence-driven policing in Kempton Park and surrounding areas.

For runners who gathered to remember Moselakgomo, the issue is now about more than one woman’s death.

It is about whether women can continue to use the roads, parks and neighbourhoods where they exercise without fear.

Running clubs have organised remembrance activities, while the wider running community has called for greater safety for women on the roads.

As the investigation continues, Moselakgomo’s family is left to mourn a mother, daughter, sister and runner whose ordinary decision to go for a run ended in tragedy.

The community is now demanding answers, accountability and action to prevent another woman from leaving home for a run and never making it back.