Olerato Mongale: A life cut short, sparking national outcry and sorrow

IOL News

6 days ago

Olerato Mongale's murder during what was meant to be a simple date has ignited a national conversation on safety and gender-based violence in South Africa.
Her life was cut short in the most heartbreaking way, but in death, Olerato has united hearts across the country. As grief weighs heavily on those she left behind, her family finds solace in the embrace they have received. 'The support we have been receiving from around the country is beyond words — Olerato truly belonged to the world,' said family spokesperson Criselda Kananda.
This comes after Olerato Mongale went on a date with an unknown man that turned deadly. She was last seen on May 25, picked up from her residential complex by a man driving a white VW Polo, with whom she had arranged the outing. That same vehicle is now linked to her murder, and authorities are urgently searching for the suspect, known only as John.
Kananda expressed her gratitude that Mongale and her friends took precautions before the date with John, having agreed she would share her location regularly. She lamented the painful reality that young people today must constantly stay vigilant, even during simple activities like going to the shops, because of safety concerns. Kananda questioned what kind of society has been created where children cannot feel safe and emphasised the urgent need to rethink these conditions.
"She sent her location, the first one recorded in Kew, the second one recorded somewhere in Lombardy West in Johannesburg, and when they waited for the next 15 minutes, 15 minutes passed, 2 hours passed, something might be wrong, and the phone was off. So they activated 'my location' and it directed them to a house in Lombardy where her body was dumped with her belongings."
She added, 'The owner of the house where her body was dumped quickly took a picture and shared it in their community WhatsApp group to alert the authorities. The community was devastated and traumatised.'
Kananda expressed her gratitude to the person who covered Mongale's body, ensuring she was treated with dignity. She also appealed to the community to respect the family's wishes by not sharing any pictures of Olerato's lifeless body.
'We appeal to the community — when they receive pictures of her lifeless body, they must think of our pain before sharing them. Please don't circulate those images. We are already mourning her and talking about how she died; adding those pictures into the equation does not serve anyone,' she said.
Kananda also reiterated that Olerato Mongale was a respectful and well-mannered young woman who had built a life for herself — she had her own house, a car, and a stable job. She lamented the hurtful comments from some people who claimed that Mongale "liked things," saying such remarks were not only unfair but deeply disrespectful to the person Olerato truly was.
A memorial was held in Lombardy West today to honour the life of Olerato Mongale. It was organised by the local community on the very street where her body was discovered, a powerful gesture of solidarity, grief, and remembrance.
Social media was flooded with messages of love, grief, and disbelief as users expressed their heartbreak over how Mongale's life was so cruelly cut short.
@Zealot_New said: "Olerato was a 30-year-old woman. She trusted the guy just like ya'all trust your partners, though you've been strangers before, I don't know why she's being shamed. Cause it could be anyone. It doesn't matter if it's a VW Polo or what, it could be anyone..."
"This poor lady was killed because she went out on a date for the first time with a guy, yet there are men who blame the victim for going on a date. There is nothing wrong with going out on a date, honestly. The person who killed this lady was on a mission, and Olerato wouldn't know that.
"We will never beat GBV as a country for as long as the are men who blames the victim for going out on a date, in other words we should not go out for dates, and there are so many victims who was killed by their partners of 5 to 10 years partners are you also blaming the victim?, are men also going to blame the victim. You guys need to know that killing is wrong regardless of what the victim did; no one has the right to take someone's life, period," said @MissFabulous.
"Olerato Mongale did everything "right". But she's dead. She followed the rules we're told will keep us alive. And still, a man killed her. Her body was dumped like she didn't matter. And we, the women of South Africa, are grieving. We are furious," said @RobynPorteous.
The Star
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