A man in Mpumalanga allegedly k!lled his wife and children before taking his life.
Police say the tragic case highlights rising domestic violence concerns in South Africa.
A man in South Africa has been accused of k!lling his wife and two young children before taking his own life in Mpumalanga.
Police said the bodies of a woman and two minors were found inside a burnt vehicle in the Boekehouthoek area near Kwaggafontein on Friday, 24 October 2025. Officers were alerted after the car was seen destroyed by fire in the early hours of the morning.
The victims have been identified as 32-year-old Lucia Thembisile Mahiyane and her children, Bokamoso and Karabo Ngele, aged seven and four. The police spokesperson, Jabu Ndubane, said investigators believe the children and their mother d!ed inside the vehicle after it was set on fire.
Reports indicated that a 37-year-old man, said to be Lucia’s husband, confessed to a relative that he burned his family inside the car at the Zithabiseni Bridge area. The relative informed authorities, who traced the suspect to his grandparents’ home.
When officers arrived, the man was found on the ground with foam coming from his mouth. Emergency workers were called but he was later declared d€ad. Initial findings show he may have taken poison after the k!llings.
Major-General Zeph Mkhwanazi, the Police Commissioner in Mpumalanga, described the act as tragic and urged individuals facing domestic issues to seek help rather than resort to violence. He said incidents like this continue to highlight the serious problem of gender-based violence in the country.
Police have opened three murder cases along with an inquest to determine the full circumstances surrounding the d€aths.
