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The South African Police Service (Saps) in Limpopo reported a case of a murder-suicide after a father allegedly killed his two-year-old daughter and attempted to murder his other daughter on Friday, 15 April.
It is alleged that the 40-year-old father strangled his two-year-old daughter to death and also attempted to kill his other daughter aged 7, at Moleketla village under Limpopo’s Bolobedu policing area.
Following the horrific act, the 40-year-old man is believed to have taken his life by hanging himself.
According to the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, the deceased took his two daughters and indicated he was going to kill them.
It was revealed that both children were allegedly staying with the deceased suspect while their mother was in Gauteng.
Saps officials were contacted to intervene and along the way, they were stopped by community members walking with the bloodied surviving seven-year-old daughter.
“The child took the officials to the spot where the incident happened and on arrival, the police found the [other] child already dead from an apparent strangulation and the father hanging from a tree,” Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said.
“We urge people who might be experiencing relationship challenges to seek assistance and desist from resorting to violence”, added Lieutenant General Hadebe.
“Police have opened cases of murder, attempted murder and inquest and investigations are continuing,” Brigadier Mojapelo concluded.
This comes after a murder-suicide on 12 March, following a shooting incident in Hambanathi, KwaZulu-Natal.
It was reported that residents of Mabalengwe Road, heard a female screaming, followed by the sound of gunshots being fired.
Members from the community then alerted RUSA and law enforcement.
Upon arrival, members of RUSA and South African Police Service (Saps) officials tried to get the couples attention when entering their rented room on Mabalengwe Road but the officials did not get any response from the couple.
The couple’s bodies were found lying lifeless on the ground, drenched in blood.
A male and female were located on the ground bleeding from gunshot wounds to their heads”, a Saps official said.
The weapon murder used was a 9mm pistol which was found between the lifeless victims.
The man was declared dead at the scene and the woman succumbed to her gunshot wounds upon arrival at the hospital.
Compiled by Lethabo Malatsi
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