{
  "id": 7719197,
  "title": "East Rand killings revive chilling memories of Moses Sithole",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/east-rand-killings-revive-chilling-memories-of-moses-sithole",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T06:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/news/opinion/east-rand-killings-revive-chilling-memories-of-moses-sithole/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The chilling specter of South Africa's past resurfaces as seven women's bodies are discovered in the East Rand, rekindling memories of Moses Sithole's reign of terror in the mid-1990s. Sithole, a serial killer responsible for at least 37 deaths and one toddler's demise in 1997, was once a subject of reporter Mandla's investigation. Sithole, claiming to run a charity organization, had a history of conviction for rape but mysteriously disappeared after police connected him to one of his victims. He reappeared two months later, offering to hand himself over to the police in exchange for arranging a meeting, and even provided directions to a body. Sithole was eventually apprehended after attacking a constable with a hatchet during his arrest. The investigation into the East Rand killings is currently uncertain, with police suspecting either one predator or multiple perpetrators. The recent discovery of Elizabeth \"Tsontso\" Moselakgomo's identity after days of uncertainty is a stark reminder of the ongoing threat. While authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the first July murder, women are advised to \"walk or run together\" for safety. However, such advice fails to address the root cause of the problem – the state's failure to prioritize women's safety and the police's inability to identify patterns. The societal tolerance of gender-based violence further exacerbates the issue, enabling predators like Sithole to operate unchecked. The Ekurhuleni killings serve as a stark reminder that Sithole's shadow still looms large, not because he lives but because the conditions that allowed him to thrive persist. To address this ongoing crisis, the state must treat femicide as a national emergency, communities must reject the normalization of violence against women, and the state must invest in prevention rather than merely reacting to incidents.",
  "summary": "The killings of women in Ekurhuleni revive chilling memories of SA's most notorious serial killer as police falter and women shoulder the burden of fear.",
  "key_points": [
    "Seven women's bodies discovered in East Rand, evoking Moses Sithole's past.",
    "Sithole, a 1990s serial killer, responsible for at least 37 deaths.",
    "Authorities suspect multiple perpetrators in recent East Rand killings."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The East Rand killings highlight the persistence of conditions that enabled serial killers like Moses Sithole to thrive, underscoring the state's failure to prioritize women's safety and prevent gender-based violence.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}