Civil society organisations, political parties and community members have united in demanding urgent action from law enforcement following the discovery of eight women’s bodies in and around Kempton Park, with many declaring “enough is enough” in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide.
The discovery of the eighth body on Tuesday has intensified calls for the government to treat the safety of women as a national emergency, with organizations rejecting what they call empty promises and delayed action.
‘Women should not surrender their freedom’
The Motor Industry Staff Association (Misa) was among the most vocal in condemning the murder of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, whose body was positively identified on Monday.
“MISA is beyond alarmed. We are angry. We are furious that women continue to be raped, assaulted and murdered while they are simply trying to live their lives. A woman went for a run and never returned to her child,” said Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations.
Keyter questioned what message is being sent to South African women. “Women are now being warned not to walk or run alone. What are we saying to South African women? Stay inside? Don’t exercise? Don’t walk to work? Don’t travel after dark? Women should not have to surrender their freedom because criminals have taken control of our streets.”
Just over two weeks ago, at the end of Women’s Month, MISA declared that South Africa had lost the war against gender-based violence and femicide after Police Minister Firoz Cachalia released crime statistics showing that 11 532 sexual offences, including 9 201 rapes, were recorded in only three months.
“Today those words haunt us. Elizabeth Moselakgomo has become another name, another statistic and another family destroyed. An eight-year-old child will grow up without her mother. This cannot become normal in South Africa,” Keyter said.
MISA demanded urgent, properly resourced and intelligence-driven policing in Kempton Park and surrounding areas. “We don’t want another announcement. We don’t want another promise. We want the person or people responsible found, arrested, prosecuted and removed from our streets. Women should not have to choose between freedom and survival.”
‘Burden of safety cannot rest on women’
People Opposing Women Abuse challenged the government to explain the material impact of the November 2025 classification of GBVF as a national disaster.
Executive director Fatima Shaik said South Africa cannot continue to rely on mere counting of victims, expressions of outrage and issuance of condolences without tangible systemic changes. The organization emphasized that the burden of safety cannot rest on women’s individual precautions, noting that women demand the right to live freely without fear.
Women For Change was equally critical, with operation manager Merlize Jogiat accusing the government of prioritizing expensive conferences over the lived realities of women. The organization highlighted that survivors often find little support at police stations, and called for a shift from perpetual discussions to concrete implementation of action against perpetrators.
Political parties demand action
The Democratic Alliance’s Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate, Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, firmly rejected the message from police that women in Ekurhuleni must simply “take precautions” while women continue to be killed.
“I come from Olifantsfontein where the latest body was discovered. I care deeply about the safety of this community and all communities in Ekurhuleni. The announcement of a multidisciplinary task team is a step in the right direction, but to keep residents safe it must be coupled with an increase in on-the-ground policing resources. Quite simply, Ekurhuleni needs police boots on the ground now,” Rasilingwane said.
She stressed that women in Kempton Park have the right to walk, run and live their lives without living in fear. “The burden of keeping women safe cannot be placed on women themselves. SAPS must do its job, and it must do so now.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters issued a statement accusing the SAPS and the state of failing to protect women’s rights to life and security. The party questioned why a comprehensive law enforcement intervention only occurred after public pressure mounted due to the disappearance of Moselakgomo, and demanded a thorough investigation into the deaths, including an audit of previous missing-person reports in the area and police conduct.
The Freedom Front Plus called on police to sharpen its crime-fighting campaign on the East Rand. Party member Jaco Mulder said the bodies of six women found within a limited area cannot be handled as separate cases and require an urgent, coordinated and intelligence-driven investigation.
“Police must maximize its crime intelligence capabilities to identify patterns, possible links, suspects and areas of increased risk. Intelligence must not only come into operation after another victim’s death. Prevention and early identification of suspects must be a priority,” Mulder said.
‘Elevate safety to national emergency’
The Public Servants Association (PSA) strongly condemned the killings and extended the union’s sincere condolences to the families of the victims.
“These murders is a crime against the victims and their families as well as being a direct assault on the safety and dignity of women across South Africa. Law enforcement must act with urgency to bring to book the perpetrators responsible for these heinous crimes. Swift accountability is owed to the victims’ families,” the PSA said.
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The union urged government to elevate the safety of women to the level of a national emergency. “Anything less is a betrayal of constitutional values and the rights of women to live free from fear. Government must demonstrate decisive leadership in combating femicide and restoring public confidence. Empty promises and delayed action embolden perpetrators and deepen the crisis.”
Sonke Gender Justice said the women found dead in the same area within two months is not an isolated incident but a public safety crisis that demands an urgent and decisive response.
The organisation extended its deepest condolences to the families, friends and community of the victims, with thoughts remaining with Moselakgomo’s family.
Men called to take stand
The organisation #NotinMyName International condemned the violence as a war on women and urged men to take an active, visible stand against the country’s femicide rate. Secretary-General Themba Masango warned that systemic inaction fosters an environment of impunity for offenders.
This echoed Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane’s appeal on Monday night when she called on men to stand up. “For far too long, when women are at risk, the conversation has been about what women must do to keep themselves safe. Let us stand together. Let us look after our sisters, our mothers and our daughters. No woman should lose her life while good men stand by and watch.”
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Community protests
Residents and community members staged protests outside the Kempton Park Police Station on this week to express fears regarding a possible serial killer and to demand police accountability and increased protection.
Protesters held placards reading “Enough is Enough,” “Stop Femicide” and “SAPS Protect Us.” Residents expressed feeling unsafe, with many stating they are “living in fear” and “sleeping with one eye open.”
Community members also criticised the municipality for failing to maintain basic public infrastructure, citing overgrown grass and broken streetlights as conditions that allow criminals to hide and prey on victims.
The Girl2Woman Foundation questioned the South African Police Service on why the community was not alerted earlier as victims were discovered over a two-month period.
Presidential intervention
President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed law enforcement agencies to prioritise the investigation, saying he has spoken to the Minister of Police and the Acting National Police Commissioner.
“I have directed that these cases be prioritised and that no stone be left unturned in bringing those responsible to justice. Our law enforcement agencies are working urgently to establish the facts, keep communities safe, and bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice,” the President said.
He acknowledged the fear the killings have created. “These incidents are causing fear and uncertainty in our communities, and especially among women. As government, we share the concerns of all South Africans, and we mourn the lives so cruelly taken away.”
Police response
Lieutenant General Dimpane delivered a forceful message on Monday evening to whoever is responsible for the killings. “Listen carefully. If you are responsible for taking these women’s lives, your freedom is temporary. You may be hiding this evening. You may think that you have removed the evidence. You may think that nobody saw you or knows who you are. Do not make that mistake.”
She said both the SAPS and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department have the capability, resources and determination to find those responsible. “You have left a trail. And we are following it. We are coming for you. When we arrest you, you are facing the full might of the law and you will answer to every life you have taken. This is not a threat. It is a commitment from the South African Police Service and the EMPD.”
A multidisciplinary team comprising detectives and other specialised policing resources is working around the clock to establish the circumstances surrounding each death, analyse available evidence, identify possible linkages where they exist, and pursue all leads.
The PSA concluded: “The killing of women can never be normalised or tolerated in a society that claims to value human rights. South Africa must act with urgency and resolve to end this scourge.”
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