Family pleads with public to help police find Olorato Mongale's killers

The public is being urged to help police find Olorato Mongale's killers.

This as police have issued identikits of three suspects they want to question about Sunday's murder of the Wits postgraduate student. The owner of the car that was used to pick her up from her apartment block in Atholl, Johannesburg, has been arrested.

Family spokesperson Criselda Kananda said: “We wish to express our deepest gratitude to the police for their diligent work in locating the car. While we take a small measure of comfort in this progress, we remain devastated that the suspects are still at large.

“We urge the community to continue to come together and assist in bringing them to justice. These suspects are still out there and possibly continuing to commit atrocious crimes. Someone must have information that could help the investigation — we plead with you to come forward.”

Mongale went on a date with her alleged killer who picked her up from her residential complex in a VW Polo at about 3pm on Sunday. It was later discovered the vehicle had fake number plates.

National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said: “He drove with the victim in the township of Alexandra, proceeded to Kew and, between Alexandra and Lombardy West in Johannesburg, this man allegedly murdered Olorato and dumped her body.

“Some of the belongings of the victim, including a phone and a handbag, were found abandoned on 9th Road in Kew. Her body was found less than two hours later, around 4.50pm in Lombardy West by police with the help of community members.”

Detectives said they are investigating the possibility that the man, who called himself “John”, was with another man when Mongale was killed.

Mathe said a similar case, involving the murder of a 39-year-old woman whose body was found in Catherine Street in Sandown, Sandton, on May 8, is also under investigation by Gauteng police.

Earlier this month, police arrested a man who was targeting women on Facebook using a fake profile and identity. The 24-year-old man is in custody pending trial on a charge of kidnapping and rape. He allegedly lured a 28-year-old woman from Gauteng to Limpopo under false pretences and raped her repeatedly. She was later rescued by police at a filling station in Giyani.

“While police investigating teams are on the ground on the Olorato Mongale case and several other cases of gender-based violence and femicide, we are urging women to be extra vigilant. Women are also urged to always report their whereabouts to friends and family when meeting new friends or going on dates. Meet only in public spaces,” Mathe said.

Kananda urged society to come together to ensure the safety and dignity of all women, and to demand accountability for those who perpetrate violence.

“Olorato was a bright light in our lives, and we are committed to ensuring that her memory lives on. That she is remembered not as a statistic but as Olorato Mongale, who changed how the country responds to gender-based violence and femicide.”

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