“For Our Survival”: SA Woman Shares Lesson After Running Community’s Key Influence on Tsonto’s Case

• A South African TikToker reflected on the Tsontso case and the importance of social belonging
• The creator argued that Tsontso's body was found quickly because she had built a visible, active community around her
• Thousands of South Africans responded to the video, with many rethinking how isolated their own lives had become

A South African TikToker going by @tshepibaby7 posted a video on 16 September 2026 that stopped thousands of people mid-scroll. Filmed from a car, the creator spoke directly into the camera about the Tsontso case and what it revealed about survival, community, and the danger of living invisibly.

Her core point was simple but striking. Tsontso, a 49-year-old woman described as a mother, was found before her body could decompose. According to the TikToker, that outcome was not the result of widespread social media reach or family connections alone. It happened because Tsontso had built a genuine community around herself, one that noticed her absence and acted quickly.

Read also

South African man helps female e-hailing Driver feel safe as Kempton Park deaths escalate

Consider social belonging as a survival tool

The creator used the video to challenge the idea that introversion or keeping a low profile is a neutral choice. She argued that in a world where safety is not guaranteed, belonging to something, whether a running club, a sports community, or even a public social group, is a practical form of protection. "Traction," she repeated, was the difference between being found and being forgotten.

She also addressed the role of men in social settings, urging women to separate romantic expectations from functional relationships. A man who fails in private, she said, may still show up in a community context. Her advice was to make use of every relationship available for survival, not just the emotionally fulfilling ones.

"Let's surround ourselves with people for our survival."

View the TikTok video below:

Mzansi reflects on its own isolation

The video on the page clearly touched a nerve, with South Africans flooding the comments to reflect on their own lives:

Read also

Minister visits where Elizabeth Moselakgomo was found dead, but South Africans remain sceptical

@JustLebo shared:

"A male friend I haven't spoken to in over a year called this morning, 'What time and days are you running so I can align with it?' I broke down."

@Precious M admitted:

"I need to stop being in my own bubble because I just realised that if that were to happen to me, no one will come looking for me."

@Vanessa Makibs 🇿🇦 noted:

"Same as Uyinene, she belonged to a social community of loving varsity friends in her first year."

@sesi_nare observed:

"I noticed how she was not a social media person, but her story went viral on social media. She really built a community ❤️❤️"

@Seipati 💜💜💜 wrote:

"The big community she built for herself fought for her..."

@seipati ❤🤍🤎🖤❤🤍 reflected:

"Yhooo Tshepi, this hits home because I'm a loner, just me, kids, and husband. I need to do some introspection... thank you."

@Bruno Kgongwana added:

"This last seen and blue tick is crucial; it is not policing. Let it sink."

Read also

South African healer shares disturbing theory about Kempton Park murders

More Briefly News stories on the running community

• A South African runner in China honoured Tsontso and four other Kempton Park murder victims with a tearful 5km tribute focused on women’s safety.
• Gauteng runners honoured Tsontso with an early-morning run while protesting gender-based violence and calling for safer communities.
• A tribute video for murdered Kempton Park runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo moved South Africans online as the East Rand murder count rose to eight women.

Source: Briefly News