Husband kills wife, stepson before shooting himself

A 36-year-old man killed his wife and stepson before turning the gun on himself in the small village of Goboti near Ngcobo in the early hours of Wednesday.

Shocked villagers gathered around the family homestead for a prayer meeting on Wednesday morning.

The dead woman was identified as Nonceba SikhundlaNtshiba, 35, a well-known figure in the Ngcobo community, and her son as nine-year-old Lunje Sikhundla.

Their killer was husband and stepfather Mophathiswa Ntshiba, who family members told the Dispatch, had left a threepage letter instructing people where and how they should be buried.

Police spokesperson Captain Namhla Mdeleni said: “It is alleged that a 36-year-old male shot and killed both his wife and his stepson. He then turned the gun on himself. He died at the scene.”

Cluster commander Brigadier Mirriam Nkombisa sent her condolences to the families.

“The community is once again urged to seek professional assistance when they are experiencing personal challenges and help each other if they notice any signs of depression. Help is a call away,” Nkombisa said.

Mandlenkosi Khwaza, Nonceba’s grandfather, told the Dispatch that the three had been shot in the head and the “gun was lying on the husband’s thigh”.

Khwaza said the couple had not been married long, “no longer than two years”.

Ngcobo mayor Siyabulela Zangqa visited the deceaseds' families.

He said Nonceba was an entrepreneur who ran a catering and car wash business in Ngcobo.

“Even today, she was supposed to be catering for our elderly citizens at an event the municipality is hosting for them. She did not pitch up and we were shocked to learn that she has died with her family. This is so traumatic and terrible,” Zangqa said.

“We urge men to seek professional help before resorting to domestic violence.”

At the homestead, a person at the prayer service said the husband had left a three-page letter telling people where and how they should be buried. This was confirmed by Khwaza.

The Dispatch visited the village on Wednesday, and found that one of three buildings on the property where the family was slain had burnt down.

On the same property was an RDP house in which the family were shot and killed. Two white vehicles, a Toyota Hilux bakkie and a VW Polo, were parked in a garage.

When the Dispatch approached people to establish what had happened, an angry man, who only identified himself as a family member, said: “We have absolutely nothing to say to the media. What are we going to benefit from telling our story to the media? You are interested in us only to sell papers and make profit.

“I will sue your pants off if you write up a story about this incident.”