A FAMILY in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga entered the long weekend on a bloody note.
This was after a 32-year-old man allegedly shot five family members on Thursday, 15 June. A 71-year-old woman believed to have been the grandmother of the suspect and three children, aged three, eight and 10, have died.
The fifth family member made it out alive, however sustained gunshot wounds. The woman is currently in hospital receiving medical care.
Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety Security and Liaison spokesman Moeti Mmusi said the bodies of the victims were discovered by a male relative.
At the time, he had been knocking at the door. When no body attended to his knock, he forced entry only to make this gruesome discovery, Mmusi said.
“The police have since arrested a 32-year-old suspect who is expected to appear in the Piet Retief Magistrates Court on Monday, 19 June 2023,” he said.
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In the meantime the Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison Vusi Shongwe condemned in the strongest possible terms the killing of the four family members.
“This lifeless act of terror must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We cannot afford to constantly lose lives like this. What is even more painful is that defenseless children are murdered by those who are suppose to protect them.
“We are once more appealing to families to seek help and utilise services of the government social workers which are readily available in all areas in the province,” the MEC said.
On 30 May, Police Minister General Bheki Cele made the official announcement of the national crime statistics fourth quarter of 2022 and 2023.
In his report Cele revealed that murder statistics in the province had shown a 22,8% increase and sat at 339, up from 276 which was recorded in 2022.
To date the province has contributed at least 5,4% to the national murder rate in the country for the forth quarter.
What was more concerning in the minsters report was that the most used murder instrument in the province was a firearm with a record number of 119 followed by knives.
The two most dominant reasons that lead to a spike in murders are either a result of vigilantism and mob justice which sat at 37 or argument, misunderstanding, road rage and provocation which sat at 27.
The MEC has called for calm since the spate of killings this week.
