Suspect to appear in court after mom, three kids found hacked to death

A suspect will appear in the Mkhondo magistrate's court on Monday in connection with the brutal murders of a mother and her three children, who were found hacked to death in their home.

Last week police walked in on a horrific scene in Phola Park, Mkhondo, on Friday night after concerned family members sounded the alarm on the whereabouts of the family.

The four were last seen alive last week Tuesday.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said police went to the family's home but found the house locked from the outside.

“Police had to force entry into the house and found an [11-year-old's] lifeless body in the kitchen.

“When proceeding with the search, a 47-year-old woman's body, [the other] 11-year-old twin and her six-year-old daughter were found lying dead in one of the rooms and an axe believed to have been used to eliminate them was found in the same room.

All four were certified dead at the scene.

Acting Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaison Speedy Mashilo lauded the swift arrest of the suspect and thanked the community for alerting the police about the family's disappearance.

Mashilo seemed to allude to gender-based violence as the cause of the brutal murders.

“GBV is a societal matter that requires us all to work together. It happens behind closed doors, and police only react after it has been committed. We will continue as government to implement various programmes aimed at better protecting women and children,” he said.

“The efforts of the police so far on the case will go a long way towards ensuring that justice is served. Although we won't bring the victims back, the families will find closure once those who are responsible are punished.”

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