KZN man arrested after stabbing seven family members, killing five

A man was arrested on Sunday, hours after he stabbed and killed five of his family members in Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

Two other family members were stabbed during the man’s attack on Saturday night.

The arrest was made after police launched a manhunt.

Police described the 33-year-old man as “blood thirsty”.

Seven people stabbed by family member

Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the attack occurred after the suspect visited neighbours, in the Bethany area of Bergville, with his uncle.

Netshiunda said when they returned to the house, the suspect stabbed his mother while she was sitting on the couch. She managed to run outside, he said.

“Thereafter he turned his attention to his uncle who died in the passage as he tried to flee to the neighbours.

“The suspect went on to stab and killed two girl children, aged two and six years old.”

A disabled woman and an elderly woman who had visited the house were also killed in the incident.

The suspect’s mother and a four-year-old girl survived. Both had multiple stab wounds.

“The suspect’s sister managed to run to safety with her one-year-old baby. The exact ages of the other victims were yet to be verified,” said Netshiunda.

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Domestic violence cases previously opened against suspect

He said the suspect will appear in the Bergville Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 15 October 2024. He is facing five counts of murder and two of attempted murder.

Netshiunda added that several domestic violence cases had previously been opened against the suspect. “All of them were later voluntarily withdrawn,” he said.

Two suspects killed in shootout with police

Meanwhile, two more suspects thought to be involved in the massacre of seven family members in Hlokozi, Highflats, in KZN, were killed in a shootout with police in Umlazi on Saturday afternoon.

Two other suspects wanted in connection with the murders were killed in another shootout on St Faiths Road on Tuesday afternoon.

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Netshiunda said the suspects were found on Saturday while on their way to a cleansing ritual in Umlazi.

“On Tuesday, two suspects were shot and fatally wounded when they also engaged in a shootout with police in an incident in which one suspect narrowly escaped arrest.

“The search continued and on Saturday afternoon, police gathered intelligence that two more suspects were on their way to conduct a cleansing ritual in Umlazi,” he said.

Netshiunda added that the suspects were found in possession of two firearms which have been linked with the crime scene at Hlokozi.