Olorato Mongale ‘mustn’t be reduced to hashtag’
Updated | By Lebohang Ndashe
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga has called on South Africans not to allow the tragic death of Olorato Mongale to be trivialised.

She urged the public to ensure her memory inspires meaningful action against gender-based violence.
Chikunga spoke at Mongale’s funeral service in Bloemfontein on Sunday, where mourners gathered to pay their final respects to the 30-year-old Wits University student.
Mongale was reported missing after going on a date in Johannesburg. Within two hours, her lifeless body was discovered.
The main suspect in the case was later killed during a shootout with police in KwaZulu-Natal. Another man who had previously been considered a suspect was cleared of involvement.
Chikunga emphasised that Mongale’s death should serve as a wake-up call to the nation.
“We are not where we need to be yet, too many still suffer in silence, too many cases go unresolved, too many systems respond too slow and sometimes too late.
”Despite all the challenges, we remain resolute and committed to intensify our efforts, to improve our coordination and to ensure that the protection of women is not only a legal obligation but a societal imperative,” she said.
The minister added that Mongale’s life was a symbol of strength and promise, and her untimely death is not just a personal loss, but a national tragedy.
“We are very sorry Olorato, South Africa should not have to lose you – not a young woman like you, not in the manner you left us, we are sorry and very sorry. May your spirit rest in eternal peace and rise in glory,” said a visibly emotional Chikunga.
She also noted that government has initiated a multi-stakeholder effort aimed at reinforcing the national response to GBV, involving various sectors to drive lasting change.
Deputy Minister of Police Polly Boshielo, who also spoke at the funeral, reiterated the seriousness of GBV in South Africa, stating that the police are fully committed to dedicating every available resource to such cases.
According to Boshielo, after Mongale was reported missing, the SAPS National Anti-Kidnapping Task Team and the Gauteng Provincial Investigating Unit joined the investigation to assist the Sandringham police.
“It was important that we get to these criminals first before they do, what they did to Olorato, to another woman. Our investigators are now standing at twenty cases that they are linking to these two criminals. Women from across the country have positively identified [them] as the pair that kidnapped and robbed them,” she revealed.
Boshielo also urged communities to actively participate in the fight against GBV, stressing that it often occurs behind closed doors and between people who know each other—making it harder for law enforcement to intervene in time.
“To communities - everyone needs to play a part in eradicating GBVF - we are also depending on you because GBVF is a crime that happens behind closed doors between two people that know each other and where we cannot always be as the police,” she said.
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