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The Murder of Olorato Mongale: A Shocking Glimpse Into South Africa’s Femicide Crisis

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3 months ago

May 31, 2025

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On a quiet Saturday in May, 30-year-old Olorato Mongale walked out of her Athol residence for what should have been a simple evening out. A postgraduate student at Wits University, full of promise and ambition, Olorato had agreed to meet someone she had recently been introduced to. Instead of returning home with stories of laughter or a sweet first date, she became the latest name in South Africa’s growing list of femicide victims.

CCTV footage showed her getting into a white VW Polo. Nothing seemed unusual at the time. But days later, her body was discovered dumped between Alexandra and Lombardy West in Johannesburg. Her phone and handbag were found abandoned in nearby Kew.

The country was left in disbelief.

A Grim Pattern Behind the Crime

Olorato’s murder wasn’t a random act of violence. It was carefully planned, chilling in its execution, and part of something much larger. As police dug deeper, they uncovered a sophisticated criminal ring that deliberately targeted women. Their method? Pretend romance.

“They approach young women, often in shopping malls, ask them out, and when the women agree to go on a date, they execute their real plan – to rob them,” explained Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, national spokesperson for the South African Police Service.

This wasn’t just a one-off. Olorato had unknowingly walked into a trap laid by a syndicate that views women as prey.

Tracking Down the Killers

The white VW Polo used in the crime had cloned license plates, making it difficult to trace. Eventually, investigators followed a lead to a panel-beating workshop in Phoenix, Durban. Inside the vehicle, blood traces were found – a grim confirmation that it had been used during the crime.

Further digging led to the arrest of the car’s owner, which in turn pointed police toward three suspects: Philangenkosi Sibongokuhle Makhanya, Fezile Ngubane, and a third individual whose name has not been officially released.

Makhanya was tracked to Amanzimtoti in KwaZulu-Natal. But as officers tried to apprehend him, he reportedly opened fire, prompting a shootout that ended with his death. When police searched his belongings, they discovered 28 different ID cards and multiple mobile phones – clear signs of a criminal deeply involved in identity fraud and organized crime.

Later that day, Fezile Ngubane voluntarily surrendered to the KwaMashu police.

South Africa’s Ongoing Femicide Emergency

Olorato Mongale’s story is heartbreakingly familiar in South Africa, a country grappling with one of the highest femicide rates in the world. According to police data, a woman is murdered in South Africa every few hours. Many of these cases involve intimate partners, but increasingly, strangers posing as lovers are becoming predators.

For many women, even something as routine as going on a first date has become a dangerous gamble.

Olorato’s death is not just a tragic end to a bright life; it is a warning, a reflection of a society that has allowed violence against women to become normalized, and a plea for urgent systemic change.

We Can’t Look Away Anymore

This case is not just about one young woman. It’s about every woman who feels unsafe walking home at night, about every parent who fears for their daughter’s life, and about a country that cannot keep losing its future to senseless violence.

The murder of Olorato Mongale must be a turning point. South Africa owes her and every other victim more than hashtags and vigils. It owes them action, protection, and a justice system that works without delay.

Speak Up, Stand Up

If you suspect criminal activity or if you or someone you know is in danger, don’t stay silent. Contact SAPS on 10111, or reach out to the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre at 0800 428 428.