‘Neighbours heard arguments before Tshiamo and Baleseng were fatally shot’

‘Neighbours heard arguments before Tshiamo and Baleseng were fatally shot,’ reports #NotInMyName

Mapaballo Borotho

Two young women, Tshiamo and Baleseng Moramaga, were found dead on a Mamelodi roadside after neighbours reported hearing arguments and gunshots.
The #NotInMyName organisation has condemned the tragedy, calling it a painful reminder of South Africa’s ongoing GBV crisis.
Police are investigating, while activists demand urgent and visible policing in Tshwane.

The Not In My Name organisation has reported that neighbours heard arguments followed by gunshots before finding the lifeless bodies of Tshiamo and Baleseng Moramaga.

Both in their early 20s, the two young women were found dead on the roadside in Mamelodi, Pretoria East, on Sunday, leaving their families shattered and the community reeling from yet another act of gender-based violence.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the horrific double murder. So far only one arrest has been made.

The 38-year-old suspect will appear before the Mamelodi Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Though details surrounding the incident remain sketchy, neighbours claim the 21- and 22-year-old women were heard arguing with someone after a night out.

Not In My Name secretary-general Themba Masango described the tragedy as a stark and painful reminder of South Africa’s ongoing gender-based violence (GBV) epidemic.

“This horrific incident, where neighbours report hearing arguments preceding the gunshots, has left another two families shattered and a community reeling from the relentless violence against women,” said Masango.

“The story of Tshiamo and Baleseng, whose lives were full of potential, is now added to the devastatingly long list of women and girls who have been brutally killed. We are in a state of perpetual mourning, and we say, #NotInMyName.”

The organisation has called for increased visible policing, highlighting a disturbing pattern of violence against women in the City of Tshwane over the past few months.

“The pattern of violence in Tshwane, specifically in areas like Mamelodi, requires an immediate and visible escalation of safety measures. We reiterate our demand for dramatically increased police patrols, particularly in high-risk areas and during high-risk times.”

The organisation further emphasised that the deaths of Tshiamo and Baleseng are not isolated incidents.

“This is a direct manifestation of South Africa’s endemic GBV crisis, which reflects a systemic failure to protect women and decisively combat femicide. We reiterate our call for the government to treat GBV as the national emergency it is — with commensurate resources, political will, and judicial consequences.”