Mpumalanga police have launched a manhunt after a mother and her son were found  dead in their house at Mataffin village, near Mbombela Stadium.

According to the police, the bodies of a woman, aged 44, and her 28-year-old son were found nearing decomposition, with heads covered in plastic bags.

“At around 8.35am police attended a scene after being informed of a bad odour coming from a certain house. When the members arrived at the said house they found the door of the house closed but unlocked it  and discovered a body of a woman on the ground with a bed on top of her. The victim’s head was covered with a plastic bag and visible wound on her shoulder,” said provincial police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala yesterday.

He said according to the neighbours, the deceased lived together and were both last seen on Thursday. The man’s body was found in the house's garage with stab wounds.

Mohlala said though the motive for the murders is still under investigation they suspect that a number of people who might have been know to the woman entered the house and murdered the victims. “There was no sign of forced entry and  police are on the heels of the suspects whom we believe were known to the deceased,” said Mohlala. 

When Sowetan visited the scene, neighbours were shocked and called for the establishment of a community policing forum in Mataffin.

“She was my neighbour. She was running her vegetable business with her son. Most of the vegetables you seen in these markets are from her.  It’s hard [to believe that she is dead]. We are not safe,” said neighbour Pertunia Mathebula.

“The recovery of her body came after her friend tried calling her and decided to go to her house so that they can go to church this morning [Sunday]. When  she knocked there was no answer. She then came to my house saying she saw flies on the windows. We could smell a bad odour and then we went to the house and the door was closed but unlocked. When we opened the smell greeted us. We saw her lifeless body under her bed,” said Mathebula.

Mohlala is calling on anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects to call the Crime Stop number 08600-10111 or send information via the My SAPS app. He said all information received would be treated as confidential and callers may remain anonymous.