A Mthatha taxi boss killed his three children at the weekend before turning the gun on himself‚ police said. The children were aged six‚ eight and nine.

Eastern Cape police spokesperson Captain Dineo Koena said the 48-year-old man was found dead with his three deceased children.

The motive for the fatal shooting is not known as yet.

“No one knows what happened. He was found dead with his children. It appears that he shot them first and killed himself‚” Koena said.

She said the man was married but his wife was not at home when the incident happened.

“The police have opened an inquest docket.”

The victims have not been publicly named as yet‚ until their next of kin can be informed.

Koena said the children were two daughters‚ who were six and eight years old‚ and a 9-year-old son.

The shooting took place on Sunday night.

"All the bodies were discovered this morning (Monday) by one of the deceased's family members who alerted the police."