THE family of the woman who allegedly killed her two children claim that she had been devastated by the rape of her daughter and that she planned to kill both her children and then commit suicide.

Initial reports from the community were that the mother - who cannot be named before she appears in court today - had allegedly killed her children because she wanted to "destroy evidence" after her boyfriend allegedly raped her five-year-old daughter.

But the woman's mother Thandekile yesterday said the family believed her daughter wanted to end her life and that of her two children - Nontobeko, 5 and Xolani, 3.

The two children were hacked to death and had their throats slit, allegedly by their mother, on Tuesday morning," she said.

"We understand that she was hurt and saddened, but I still don't think that she had to kill the innocent children like this."

She said that her daughter had been devastated by the rape incident- that her boyfriend, Bheka Sibiya, 37, had allegedly raped Nontobeko.

Sibiya appeared in the Pietermaritzburg magistrate's court court on Monday and the case was postponed to November 3.

"She wanted to kill the children and then herself because she was feeling guilty about the rape, but I still maintain that she did not have to do such a horrible thing to such innocent and harmless angels," the mother said.

The family said a rope was found in the room in which the woman allegedly killed the children.

The woman's brother said: "We don't know what stopped her from hanging herself.

"We are not saying she had to, but we are left with so many unanswered questions."

He said the children will be buried on Sunday.