A family is reeling in shock after a woman who was assaulted when she found her boyfriend with a new lover, died.

Boniswa Nkomo, 37, was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend, his lover and relatives on August 14.

She was admitted to Tembisa Hospital but never recovered from her injuries. The mother of three died on Monday. Police spokesman captain Manyaza Ralidzhivha said they were questioning several people.

"So far the man's two nephews have been charged with murder," he said.

The woman's daughter, Nelisiwe Nkomo, 21, said her mother had been at her boyfriend's house for a week to help the family arrange a funeral.

She said the problem started the day before the funeral when the man allegedly assaulted her mother.

"He beat her up in front of his family and he tore her lips. I never knew that their relationship was abusive until I saw him beat her that day," she said.

Nkomo said 10 days after the funeral her mother left the boyfriend's house to check on her children who live with their grandmother.

"She asked me to accompany her back to the boyfriend's house to fetch her jersey. Her boyfriend was inside his room with another woman and he refused to open the door. I could hear the woman saying 'hold on to the door so I can dress up'.

"My mom asked for her clothes and the man threw her clothes outside. The two of them then came out and started to insult her. They said she was useless. The woman told my mom that the man had always loved her [and not Boniswa]."

Nkomo said she then left with her mother who was visibly upset.

"I could tell she was not okay. She went back to try and resolve the matter and she returned with a blue eye and a torn lip. I begged her not to go back to that house. I was shocked when I heard that she went back to fetch my grandmother's blanket that she had left at the house. This time she was beaten by the whole family," she said.

Nkomo said she was called to come and help her mother who was lying in the street, unable to move.

"She was in pain. We called the ambulance and she was rushed to hospital. She was bleeding from the face and had a broken pelvis. She struggled to breathe or talk. She was transferred to the ICU [intensive care unit], where she died," she said.

Nkomo said her unemployed mother went out of her way to provide for her children.

"She really cared about us. She would do anything to make sure that we have what we need.

"She was funny. She made fun of other patients in her ward. I would laugh throughout the visits every day," said the daughter.

She added her moms condition initially improved before she died.

She died a terrible death

The deceased's mother, Poppy Nkomo, said the boyfriend's family had accused her daughter of setting his room alight.

"They showed us the room. The bed and a wardrobe had been burned. We do not know if the allegations are true because she is not here to defend herself," she said.

Boniswa's sister Sonto Nkomo, 35, said the family was in shock. "The two were always together. They have been dating since December last year and they went everywhere together. The incident surprised us," she said

Mpho Apie, also Boniswa's sister, said they were hurting.

"What hurt me the most is the way she was killed. The brutality is unbearable," she said.

The boyfriend's sister-in-law Sophie Peterson said: "The new woman slept here the night before the incident. She claimed to be friends with the man's sister. Boniswa could tell that there was something between her boyfriend and that woman.

"What they did to her is abuse and it was unfair. I was here when the deceased torched the room but I only realised that moments later when I saw smoke. We never opened a case."- Pertunia Mafokwane