Mpumalanga SAPS are investigating a case of murder and suicide after a 39-year-old woman was shot, allegedly by veteran police captain Mandla Maseko (53) from Bethal, Mpumalanga, who then turned the gun on himself in Grootvlei on Saturday.

According to Ridge Times, Maseko went to the house of the woman, reportedly a friend, in Grootvlei, where she was with her sister.

When they refused to open for him, he reportedly broke a window and entered the house.

He chased the sister out of the house and was then left alone with the woman.

The sister went to seek help, and the police were alerted.

Bodies found on scene

When police arrived, they found both the captain and the woman on the floor, with gunshot wounds.

Both were declared dead on the scene.

Maseko’s service pistol was found at the scene.

Police response

Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, the acting Mpumalanga police commissioner, says he is saddened by this unfortunate incident and sends his heartfelt condolences to the families of both the deceased.

The general calls on police officers to make use of employee health and wellness services whenever they undergo work- or family-related challenges.

Career background

In 2024, Maseko received the Mpumalanga commissioner’s excellence awards for Station of the Year and Station Commander of Year on behalf of the station commander, Lieutenant Colonel Tsekiso Tseole.

Maseko was appointed interim acting station commander of Bethal in November 2023 in the absence of the station commander and managed the police station until the appointment of Tseole in September 2024.

*The article was amended after being published as it was learnt that the female victim was not Maseko’s girlfriend as initially reported.

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