Introduction
In a nation already battling one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence, the tragic murder of university student Olorato Mongale has sparked national outrage. South African police have since uncovered a gang allegedly targeting women in shopping centres for kidnapping and robbery, a chilling reminder of the dangers many women face daily.
The Case of Olorato Mongale
Olorato Mongale, a 30-year-old postgraduate journalism student at Witwatersrand University, was last seen on Sunday, heading for a date with a man she had recently met. CCTV footage captured her walking toward a white VW Polo in Kew, Johannesburg — a vehicle now tied to multiple crimes.
Just two hours later, her body was found in an open field in Lombardy West, brutally violated. The news has devastated her family and friends, who described her as “bubbly and purposeful” and has reignited a fiery debate about South Africa’s femicide epidemic.
Police Crack Down on Kidnapping Gang
Late Wednesday, police named three suspects believed to be involved: Fezile Ngubane, Philangenkosi Sibongokuhle Makhanya, and Bongani Mthimkhulu — all considered armed and dangerous. Makhanya and Mthimkhulu were previously arrested for a similar case involving a woman in KwaZulu-Natal and were out on bail.
Authorities seized the suspected murder vehicle, a VW Polo with blood traces, from a panel workshop in Phoenix, Durban. The man believed to own the vehicle has been arrested.
“We have broken the back of a syndicate that is targeting women, especially young women, in malls,” said police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe.
Femicide in South Africa: A National Emergency
South Africa continues to record some of the most disturbing statistics in gender-based violence:
- 137 women murdered and over 1,000 raped between January and March 2025
- One woman killed by her intimate partner every 8 hours (University of the Free State, 2020)
- Among top five countries globally for female homicide rates (UN, 2019)
Rape remains the most reported violent crime against children, underscoring a systemic crisis that spans generations.
The Human Toll and Public Outcry
Ms Mongale had once covered the 2017 murder of Karabo Mokoena — a case that similarly galvanized public outrage. Her death now mirrors the very issues she sought to report and change.
On Wednesday, a candlelight vigil was held at the site of her murder in Lombardy West. Activists, friends, and citizens gathered in mourning and protest, demanding not just justice for Mongale but systemic reform to ensure women’s safety.
Conclusion
The murder of Olorato Mongale and the exposure of a gang preying on women in public spaces have once again cast a harsh spotlight on South Africa’s deep-rooted femicide problem. As calls for reform grow louder, this tragic incident must serve as a wake-up call for the nation to take tangible steps to end gender-based violence once and for all.
To learn more about South Africa’s response to gender-based violence, read our in-depth feature on South Africa’s War Against Gender-Based Violence.
