The body of 30-year-old Rhodes University graduate, Olorato Mongale, was found dumped in Lombardy West this week, days after she went missing while on a date.
Mongale was last seen on Sunday getting into a white VW Polo with two unknown men. It’s believed she was meeting someone for a first date. Her body was later discovered wrapped in a black refuse bag, with visible signs of assault.
Police have not yet made any arrests and are appealing to the public for information that could lead to the identification and capture of the suspects.
My heart bleeds for a Wits student Olerato Mongale who was brutally killed by a man.
I don’t even know what to say, for real I don’t💔💔 pic.twitter.com/lI7Q6B5Rul
— PovertyKiller_Official (@PovertykillerB) May 27, 2025
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPSApp to submit tips anonymously.
Family spokesperson Dr. Criselda Kananda described Mongale as a bright, loving woman with a warm smile and a promising future.
She appealed to young people—especially women—to always let someone know their whereabouts, especially when meeting someone new.
Kananda also urged South Africans to stop sharing graphic images circulating online, allegedly showing Mongale’s body, calling it disrespectful to the grieving family.
Olerato Mongale a Wits Student had a very first date with some guy.
She alerted her friends about her date and that if she did not send her location in an hour’s time her friends should start looking for her.
A guy fetched her in white VW Polo, the registration plate belonged… pic.twitter.com/eo3XqDRq2q
— The Instigator (@Am_Blujay) May 27, 2025
This tragedy has reignited public anger over gender-based violence and the high crime rate in South Africa.
According to the United Nations, the country currently has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with 45 murders per 100,000 people recorded in the 2023/24 year.
