The Responsibility of the ‘Share’: How Viral Posts Can Help or Harm Real Families
- Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo’s disappearance and death highlighted the human cost of rumours spreading before loved ones receive answers
- Police warned that circulating unverified claims and an alleged suspect’s photograph could put people at risk
- Verified missing-person appeals can help, but check updates and sources before sharing; there is no waiting period to report someone missing
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Source: UGC
When 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo left her Rhodesfield home in Kempton Park for a run on 9 September, she did not return. Her photograph circulated on social media as police intensified their search and people shared appeals, hoping someone had seen her.
Days later, a woman’s body was found in Rhodesfield, but before Moselakgomo’s family could formally identify her, speculation was already spreading online. Speaking on behalf of the family, Renegades Search and Rescue's Dawn Gouden urged people to stop sharing unverified information while they waited for confirmation.
Moselakgomo was later identified at the Germiston mortuary on 14 September 2026 as one of several women whose bodies had been discovered across Ekurhuleni.
Her story shows both sides of the “share” button. Social media can put the face of a missing person before thousands of people within hours. But that same speed can spread rumours to a grieving family before they even receive answers themselves.
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Ekurhuleni killings fuel serial killer rumours online
By 20 September, the government had named Busisiwe Mahlangu, Itumeleng Kekana, Nomfesane Mjobo, Gracious Nkomo, Dineo Motapane and Jabulile Ntimba among nine women whose bodies had been found across Ekurhuleni since July. The identity of another victim was withheld until her family had been informed.
As the number of cases grew, speculation about a possible serial killer spread across social media and community groups.
There were legitimate reasons for concern, and police began examining possible patterns. However, authorities repeatedly cautioned against assuming all the deaths were connected. Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police stressed that SAPS had not established links between all the cases.
Source: Getty Images
SAPS warns against false Ekurhuleni suspect posts
The consequences became startlingly clear on 22 September. A man walked into Tsakane Police Station after discovering that his photograph was circulating in community groups alongside claims that he was responsible for murdering women in Ekurhuleni.
Police said the allegations were unsubstantiated and warned that circulating his photograph could place him at risk of being attacked or harmed. Days earlier, SAPS had already warned that it had not released an identikit, wanted poster or photograph of a person linked to the murders and asked people not to circulate images of supposed suspects.
This is how misinformation becomes dangerous. Someone posts a photograph. Someone screenshots it. Another person forwards it to a WhatsApp group with “Please share”. After enough repetitions, a rumour begins to look like an official warning.
An MIT study examining around 126,000 stories shared on Twitter, now known as X, found that false news travelled farther, faster and more broadly than the truth. Researchers also found that false stories were more likely to provoke emotions such as fear, disgust and surprise.
That matters when women are disappearing or being found dead in your community. The instinct to warn others is understandable, but fear can make an alarming claim feel worth sharing before we have checked whether it is true.
How to share missing-person posts responsibly
Missing-person appeals show how social media can be used for good, allowing a photograph to travel across neighbourhoods and provinces within minutes.
According to the SAPS website, people do not have to wait 24 or 48 hours before reporting someone missing. A missing person can be reported immediately. Police advise families to provide a recent photograph, a description of the person, their last known whereabouts, and any other information that could assist investigators. The problem is not the share. It is the unchecked share.
Before forwarding a missing-person poster, check the date. Search the person’s name to see whether they have already been found. Look for an update from the family, SAPS, or a credible news organisation. Before sharing the photograph of an alleged suspect, ask an even more important question: Where did this picture come from?
If SAPS has not identified that person, we should not do it for them. The government made the same point during its response to the Ekurhuleni killings. People with information were urged to give it directly to investigators instead of circulating it through social media or informal community platforms.
That distinction matters because behind every viral missing-person poster is somebody waiting for their loved one to walk through the door.
We often press share because we want to help. Sometimes that share really can help. But Moselakgomo’s case reminds us that responsibility doesn't end with wanting to do good. If caring is the reason we share, checking whether something is true should be part of caring too.
More on missing persons and Ekurhuleni killings
- The family of 18-year-old Rikus Kylander, who disappeared while snorkelling in Mozambique, has renewed its appeal for information nine months after he went missing.
- A viral post questioning whether the Ekurhuleni killings could signal a repeat of serial killer Moses Sithole’s crimes sparked debate online.
- Months after 28-year-old Vutomi Mathebula disappeared, her remains were discovered in Ekurhuleni, bringing a devastating end to the search for her.
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Source: Briefly News
