Police in Limpopo condemn another incident of GBV after man allegedly kills wife, niece

The police in Limpopo have condemned another incident of gender based violence after a man allegedly shot dead his  wife and niece.

Provincial Police Commissioner  Lieutenant - General Nneke Ledwaba  strongly condemned the incident in which a man, on Monday night allegedly shot and killed his partner aged 38, his partner’s visiting niece aged 27, and attempted to murder his 16- year-old daughter.

According to police, the incident was preceded by the 16-year- old opening a case of rape against her father at a local police station.  

Police spokesman Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the man thereafter allegedly turned the gun on himself and committed suicide.

"The horrific incident took place at Malungane village next to Namakgale outside Phalaborwa at about 9pm. The suspect, who was reportedly employed at a Mining Company in Phalaborwa, was being sought by members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit (FCS) after his 16- year- old daughter, whom he shot and injured, earlier opened a rape case against him, " he said.

Mojapelo said the 16-year-old allegedly visited her father at Palesa Section, Namakgale on June 13 and asked him to give her driving lessons.

"After the driving lessons, they reportedly went to Namakgale complex and then proceeded to the house at Palesa where the rape took place. The victim only opened the rape case on Monday," he said.

The police said the man’s licensed 9mm pistol was found on the scene and has been confiscated by the police.

“As the Province is currently fighting the scourge of Gender Based Violence, incidents of this nature, where a man rapes his daughter and then goes on to commit horrendous crimes against the vulnerable members of the society, must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” said General Ledwaba.