South African Women Arm Themselves After Spate Of Murders Targeting Runners

Before she ties her running shoes each morning, Nancy Masha checks the knife and pepper spray she now carries on her daily jog — a ritual born of fear after the murder of a fellow runner rocked communities in South Africa's East Rand.

Masha, 39, is one of many women who say they have altered their routines after nine women — including avid runner Elizabeth Moselakgomo — were found murdered in and around Johannesburg over roughly two months. Some victims were discovered partially naked and battered, raising fears that a serial attacker or attackers could be at work.

Personal Precautions And Public Outcry

Two days after Moselakgomo, 38, left home for a run on September 9 and did not return, Masha began taking pepper spray and a knife with her. Moselakgomo's body was found three days later in the Kempton Park area — the same general area where eight other victims have been discovered since mid-July.

"Her murder really traumatised me. We run in awkward spaces and at awkward times. But I won't stop running,"

The killings have prompted vigils, protests and solidarity runs from Kempton Park to Cape Town, as communities demand greater protection for women. The national Gender-Based Violence Command Centre reported 6,782 distress calls between Sept. 1 and 16 — an average of 424 a day and a 21% increase from the previous month.

How Women Are Responding

Many runners and walkers say they now carry pepper spray, knives or other improvised defenses, avoid isolated routes, share live locations with family and friends, or stick to gated-community facilities. Chulumanco Mahamba, 31, cut back her daily walks to twice a week and now shares live location updates before leaving home. Filmmaker Andiswa Siwela, 43, who lives in Cape Town, said she moved pepper spray from her car into her pocket and is more wary of strangers.

Others warn that carrying weapons carries its own risks: "We are not trained to use those things," said Hlompho Matji, 47, a data analyst and runner, noting that pepper spray or knives could be turned against someone who is overpowered. Babalwa Melitafa, 46, now limits her runs to a sports oval inside a gated complex for safety.

Police Response And National Reaction

South African police have arrested three people in connection with killings in the Kempton Park area: a man is in custody for one murder and two women have been charged over another, though authorities have not publicly confirmed whether the cases are linked. The string of killings — including the September 20 discovery of a woman in Soweto whose body was wrapped in a duvet — has deepened national anxiety.

Speaking at a public gathering, President Cyril Ramaphosa described the violence as a "national shame" and reiterated that "the women of South Africa have the right to walk the streets of their country at any hour without fear." Athletics clubs, community groups and advocacy organisations continue to call for faster, more effective action to protect women and to address the wider epidemic of gender-based violence.

Context: Gender-based violence has been described by the government as a national disaster, and activists say the recent killings highlight long-standing failures to keep women safe. Many runners say they will continue to exercise — but not without taking extra precautions.