A WOMAN who was killed by a grenade in the early hours of Sunday, 30 August in Amanzimtoti has been identified as Lesego Mahaose (33), a clerk in the SANDF who worked at the Bluff Military Base.
A 44-year-old ex-MK veteran family member who resigned from the SANDF is wanted by police in connection with the attack, which occurred at their Karridale Drive, Shulton Park home in Toti.
He is still at large.
“On 29 August, they arrived home from a funeral. Between 11pm and midnight an argument ensued between them. It is alleged the argument was over money that was placed somewhere and could not be found.
The man then threatened Mahaose with a hand grenade. Mahaose went to the kitchen to inform her brother-in-law about the threats.
He saw the grenade in the hands of his family member and out of fear, ran out of the kitchen into another room,” said Toti SAPS communications officer, Capt Charlene van der Spuy.
“The man threw the grenade into the kitchen and closed the sliding door with Mahaose still inside the kitchen. The grenade exploded and the woman sustained injuries to the right side of her face and on the lower parts of her legs.”
He fled the scene in his car.
“The woman was rushed to Kingsway Hospital and declared dead at 2.45am. According to explosive experts who attended the scene, the grenade was of South African origin. A second, live grenade which did not detonate, was also found at the scene.
A case of murder and unlawful possession of explosives has been opened and is being investigated by Toti detectives.
The origins of the grenades and how they came to be in the Mahaose home will no doubt form part of the police investigation.