Gauteng Woman Found Dead After Going on Date, Olorato Mongale’s Murder Sparks Mixed Reactions Online

• A search has been launched for a VW Polo driver who is only known as John, in connection with a murder
• Olorato Mongale was murdered and her body was dumped, hours after she went on a date with the man
• South Africans weighed in on the murder, with many concerned that women went on dates with strangers

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG – The tragic murder of a 30-year-old woman has left social media users up in arms.

Olorato Mongale was last seen on Monday, 26 May 2025, at her residential complex in Athol, Johannesburg.

A few hours later, she was murdered and her body was dumped in another area, approximately a 12-minute drive away from her home.

Mongale murdered after going on a date

According to Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, National Spokesperson for the South African Police Service, Mongale was picked up from her home by a man in a VW Polo.

It’s understood that the pair were going out on a date, and they were later spotted driving through Alexandra and Kew.

"The man fetched Olorato from her residential complex in Athol, Johannesburg, at around 3 pm on Monday. Two hours later, she was found murdered, and her body dumped in Lombardy West," Mathe said.

Police searching for VW driver

The police have now launched a search for the man driving the VW Polo, who is only known as John. The vehicle he was driving was fitted with a cloned number plate that was registered to a Toyota Hilux.

Mathe added that police believed the man had an accomplice, who assisted him with the crime. Members of the public are urged to contact the police with any information that could lead to an arrest.

The crime is the latest of many where a woman was killed by a man she trusted. In January 2025, a Gqeberha man handed himself over to police for the alleged murder of his girlfriend on New Year's Day.

South Africans weigh in on murder

The murder drew outrage on social media, with many urging women not to take chances and go out with men they barely knew. One person compared the situation to Thabo Bester’s case. Bester, a convicted rapist and killer, met his victims on social media.

Kopano Skopman said:

“We will still have a lady who will go out with a stranger even after this😭.”

Michael KingMike Thebe suggested:

“Very painful. Ladies must start making intensive background checks before meeting a stranger😠.”

Karabo Marwane Motswadi said:

“This whole thing was already planned. The car had cloned number plates. Meaning it was stolen. The person used a pseudonym. This is like the Thabo Bester story, the Facebook serial rapist/killer. People go out on dates every now and then. Although sometimes they may be naïve, men could also find themselves in such situations. May Olorato's soul rest in peace 🕊️🥺❤️.”

Kebo Nkwe added:

“But when he picked her up, his number plates were already fake. According to me, he already had something planned.”

Gabs Nkosi stated:

“Her phone records? The last person she spoke to or texted? This might reveal her date.”

PstMbuzi Brian said:

“Some dates are a death trap. Let's be careful.”

Patience Mcunu added:

“The problem with us ladies is that some of us are still naïve, whereas murderers are lurking everywhere. Talking to someone for a while on social media doesn't mean you know them. Stop meetups with strangers. I'm not saying this is the case, but it could be.”

Gauteng woman murdered by boyfriend

In a related article, the decomposing body of a young woman was found in Sharpeville in January 2025.

She was allegedly killed by her boyfriend, who was later found dead in Qwa-Qwa in the Free State.

Briefly News reported it's believed that the boyfriend killed himself after murdering his girlfriend.

Source: Briefly News