Durban - A 24-year-old man who allegedly killed four members of his family, by axing them to death, has been arrested.
Police said the attack took place on Thursday in the France Locality, in Lusikisiki at around 7pm.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said the initial investigations revealed that the suspect was in his room while four other family members were in another room in the same homestead.
“It is alleged he went to their room and started crushing them with an axe.
“They allegedly died at the scene.
“Police were alerted to the incident by members of the local community, and one eye witness who escaped the ordeal unharmed.”
Kinana said the motive for the killings was not yet known.
“The suspect was immediately arrested in the same village, and the axe which is believed to have been used in the commission of this offence was recovered and confiscated by the police.”
The identities of the deceased are: Nomantombi Nobanda, 69, Thembinkosi Nobanda, 42, Nomhayaya Phatekile, 38, and five-year-old Olwande Phatekile.
“The arrested suspect is expected to appear at the Lusikisiki Magistrate’s Court on Friday facing four counts of murder,” police said.
In an earlier incident, 10 people were killed in separate mass shootings in the Eastern Cape in February.
In one of the incidents, seven people died while attending a birthday party.
IOL