Cape Town – Podcast and Chill co-host Sol Phenduka has apologised for remarks made about missing runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, whose body was later found in Kempton Park.
Phenduka issued the apology on Wednesday after a clip from the podcast circulated on social media and drew criticism.
Moselakgomo, 38, was reported missing on September 9 after leaving her home in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park, for a run. Her family later identified her body at the Germiston mortuary on September 14.
The episode was recorded on Sunday, while Moselakgomo was still missing and before her death had been confirmed.
During the episode, co-host MacGyver “MacG” Mukwevho joked about the missing runner, saying: “You’d think the lady would keep on running.”
Phenduka then joined in, making a joke about the race number on her running vest.
“Sometimes you are running, and someone comes from the woods, from the darkness, and then snatches you. They see numbers on your chest. Someone in the woods saw that she’s got your numbers and thought, ‘Yo, we are taking this one’,” he said.
The remarks were followed by laughter from those in the studio.
I honestly don’t find this funny. I’m utterly disgusted. I’m especially disappointed in Sol. As for MacG , I’m not shocked that he would make fun of the Kempton Park situation on his huge podcast. His platform was built on belittling and bullying Black women. pic.twitter.com/q1yAmAZd02
— La-Ndlovu (@destiny_ndlovu) September 16, 2026
After Moselakgomo’s body was identified, the clip attracted criticism online, with some people questioning the appropriateness of joking about a missing woman amid a wider national debate around gender-based violence and femicide.
In his apology, Phenduka acknowledged that the joke was inappropriate.
“I made an unfortunate pun joke at the time. Yeah, we laughed, but it’s not funny anymore because the lady, when the story developed, her body was found in Kempton Park,” he said.
Phenduka said making jokes about a missing person was particularly insensitive given the circumstances.
“Deriving a joke, be it targeted at somebody else, about a situation around a missing person is distasteful because it is a traumatic situation, especially in the context of South Africa and the unfortunate high femicide that we have,” he said.
Sol Phenduka’s apology about the pun that he made on the podcast in relation to then missing lady who was then found to be murdered in Kempton park…. pic.twitter.com/HFgvEnfT8Z
— Meshack Bevhula (@MeshackBevhulas) September 16, 2026
He also apologised to Moselakgomo’s family and said the episode had contained other comments expressing hope that she would be found. He noted that the clip circulating online had been shortened.
Phenduka said he had previously spoken against gender-based violence on the podcast and rejected the suggestion that he would deliberately make light of such violence.
“I’ve always been clear where I stand on GBV on the network many times over the hundreds of episodes we’ve recorded. I’d never make light of such a tragic moment,” he said.
He also appealed to men to stop violence against women.
“I just want to plead with men to stop the violence because it’s mostly men who are the perpetrators… And once again, sorry for the distasteful remarks,” Phenduka said.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
