A 15-year-old girl watched helplessly as her jealous father gunned down her policewoman mother before killing himself

Vusi Kgoale, 51, shot dead his wife, Sibongile Kgoale, 37, with her service firearm after a quarrel in Protea Glen in Soweto yesterday. Sibongile was attached to the dog unit at the Protea police station.

Kgoale's brother, Joel Moekwa, said the couple had ongoing problems.

"We did not expect this. They always fought. From time to time we were called in to help reconcile them after a quarrel. But it has been a while since the last time we were asked to intervene," Moekwa said.

He said the incident happened at about 6am.

"Their daughter was in the house when this happened. She told us Sibongile had just come home. Vusi assaulted her in the kitchen and dragged her to the bathroom, where he shot her. He then took a plastic container with petrol, doused Sibongile's car and set it alight before shooting himself."

Moekwa said Kgoale shot himself in the mouth.

The child, who cannot be identified because she is a minor, was asleep when she heard the commotion in the house. When she woke up she saw her father assaulting the mother, according to a relative.

"She tried to separate them, but he told her to go away. He dragged her mother into the bathroom. He had a gun in his his hand and as she went out to seek help she heard a gunshot."

Police spokesperson Inspector Kay Makhubela confirmed Sibongile was shot in the upper body, while her husband had a gunshot wound in the mouth.

An inquest docket had been opened.