Four held after family shot, hacked to death

Four people have been arrested for allegedly shooting and hacking to death three members of a KwaZulu-Natal family.

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Durban – Four people have been arrested for shooting and hacking to death three members of a KwaZulu-Natal family, including a pregnant woman, police said on Friday.

Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said the crime took place at Zululiyaduma area in Melmoth, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, in the early hours of Thursday.

Gwala said a 49-year-old mother, her 23-year-old son, and pregnant 27-year-old daughter were hacked with a bush knife and shot.

One of the family members, a 30-year-old woman, survived the attack and was taken to hospital where she was reported to be in a critical condition.

“It is alleged that [the] four suspects armed with bush knives and a firearm entered the house while the victims were asleep,” Gwala said.

“They opened fire and hacked them to death. Among those killed was a 27-year-old woman who was pregnant.”

Gwala said initial investigations conducted at the scene established that the killers took money and airtime vouchers.

“The motive for this tragic killing is unknown at this stage. Three counts of murder, attempted murder and house robbery are being investigated by Melmoth SAPS,” Gwala said.

She said that four youths aged between 16 and 21 had been arrested following investigations by the Melmoth detectives and the Glencoe K9 unit.

“The suspects were arrested while at their homesteads in Zululiyaduma area, Melmoth,” she said.

They are expected to appear in the Melmoth Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Gwala said more arrests were expected as investigations continued.

African News Agency