Phalaborwa man in court for gruesome family murders

A 29-year-old man from Phalaborwa has been charged with the gruesome murders of his sister and her baby.

Police believe the accused, whose name is known to The Citizen but will not be published until he pleads, stabbed his family members to death before fleeing the scene and forcing police to go on a manhunt.

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Circumstances under investigation

Police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba claims the man stabbed his sister, 31, and her one-month-old baby with an unknown sharp instrument at their residence in Nelgra Section at around 3.30pm last Friday.

“He thereafter locked the doors and fled from the scene,” Mashaba said.

“The gruesome murder incident was discovered by another sister, and she immediately alerted the police.

“The scene of [the] crime was visited and the police opened two counts of murder cases. A manhunt was launched for the suspect and he was arrested on Saturday, 27 April, along [the] R40 road between Phalaborwa and Mica.”

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Mashaba said the circumstances that led to the incident are still under police investigation.

The Provincial Police Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, condemned what she called the brutal killing of a woman and her child. She also welcomed the arrest of the suspect.

The accused appeared before Phalaborwa Magistrate’s Court on Monday. There, he was remanded in custody until 2 May for further investigations.

Man organises assassination of aunt

Three weeks ago, a 37-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison after he organised a hit on his aunt, who he claimed was practising witchcraft and bewitching family members.

Siyabonga Shelembe was found guilty of murder by the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

It was found that he had enlisted Thandolwethu Sibisi to help him kill 53-year-old Tholakele Cynthia Shelembe, whom he claimed was successful because she practised witchcraft.

Additional reporting by Kyle Zeeman.