A young mother was killed with her five-year-old son, allegedly by a relative they lived with in Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal.   

The mother, 25, and son were allegedly discovered by tenants who noticed an “unbearable smell” in the house at the weekend, said police spokesperson Col Thembeka Mbele. 

“It is alleged that ... the tenants who are learners in one of the schools in Ulundi, arrived at the house and were greeted by an unbearable smell that was from one of the rooms,” said Mbele.

“They found the suspect, 20, alone in the house. The suspect demanded that the tenants should pay rent to him since the deceased was not in the house. However, the tenants refused to give him the money.”

The tenants then started looking for the mother and child. “She was found lying on the floor in her bedroom covered with a blanket and both feet tied with a cloth. The victim sustained multiple stab wounds,” she said.  

The child, who was stabbed and had his throat slit, was found in the garage covered with a green bag, said Mbele.

The suspect was arrested at the scene, she said.

Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Khombinkosi Jula condemned the killings.

“We will ensure that a quality investigation is conducted and a well-prepared docket is sent to court for the suspect to receive the sentence he deserves,” he said.

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