Manhunt ends: Arrest made in brutal mother-daughter murders

After a week-long manhunt, the Mpumalanga police have arrested a man in connection with the brutal murder of a mother and daughter in Matsulu.

On Monday, a 40-year-old male suspect was arrested in Barberton in relation to an incident where a mother, 40, and her daughter, 23, were stabbed to death multiple times in the early hours of 2 April.

Suspect close to victims’ family

According to Colonel Donald Mdhluli, the police knew that the murder was perpetrated by someone who is believed to be very close to the family, as the suspect visited the family on 1 April at around 9pm while they were watching TV.

“The woman’s son went to sleep earlier, leaving behind the man in question with other family members. Later, it is said that the son was woken up when his mother screamed for help, and he entered the house and reportedly saw a suspect still holding a knife in his hand,” Mdhluli said.

After noticing that, the son ran out quickly to call for help from neighbours.

Once he returned with his neighbours, they realised that the suspect had gotten away through the window.

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Mother and daughter found laying in pool of blood

“It was during this time, as they got inside the house, that they found the mother and her daughter laying in a pool of blood, with multiple stab wounds,” Mdhluli said.

The police and medical personnel were summoned to the scene, but tragically, both victims were certified dead.

An investigation and a massive manhunt were initiated for the suspect, whom the investigator believed to be Thulani “Mathousand” Sikhundla.

The police published his picture, asking people for assistance in locating his whereabouts.

Mpumalanga provincial commissioner of Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela strongly condemned the murder of the two women and assured the public that no stone would be left unturned, and the aim was to swiftly bring the perpetrator before justice.

The suspect appeared at the Kabokweni Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, facing two counts of murder.

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