A 49-year-old woman tried to ward off robbers with pepper spray.
But her courageous attempt to protect her family ended in tragedy.
The woman from Odendaalsrus, near Welkom, was wounded, while her husband (61) was shot dead during a break-in on Tuesday morning.
The man’s wife and 16-year-old daughter were sleeping when he heard someone moving around his house.
He woke up to check what was going on and saw three men in balaclavas.
One of the men had a firearm and the other two were armed with knives.
The wife tried to pepper spray the men, but the one with a gun started firing.
The husband was shot in the left calf while his wife sustained two gunshot wounds in her stomach.
The man was certified dead at the scene and the wife was taken to the local hospital by emergency services staff.
She is in a critical but stable condition in hospital.
Police spokesman Captain Stephen Thakeng said: “A murder docket was opened after a man was shot dead at his home.
“The suspects robbed the victims of their cellphones before fleeing from the scene.”
Welkom commander Major-General Lerato Molale said: “The case has been assigned to skilful investigators.
“We will leave no stone unturned in our mission to find the culprits.
“Anyone who knows the suspects, or where they might be, should contact investigating officer Captain Ansie Venter on 057 916 2400 or at 082 301 2797.”
