6 children, 2 women killed in KZN family attack
4 October 2017
Durban - Eight female members of the same family were killed during an attack in Embangweni in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday night.
Initial reports said seven women were killed, but police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said an eighth person passed away in hospital on Wednesday.
Gwala said the motive for the attack was unknown and that police would investigate whether it was politically motivated or over family feuds.
Gwala said community members heard gunshots at around 21:00 on Tuesday night and when they went to check, the house was on fire.
Five people, including a 60-year-old woman and four children between the ages of two and 16, died in one house.
Gwala said a second house was also attacked, and a 58-year-old woman died after being shot.
Two of the children in that house later died in hospital.
The house had also been set on fire.
Gwala said the occupants of both houses were from the same family.
Investigation
In a statement, Gwala said police had opened eight cases of murder and an attempted murder case.
"One person is still in a critical condition in hospital after sustaining burn wounds," she told News24.
According to the statement, Gwala said SAPS would ensure a thorough investigation of the matter.
"Police will thoroughly investigate the case and ensure that the culprits face the full might of law. They have to receive a befitting sentence during prosecution for their inhumane behaviour.
"Community members were praised for their assistance in managing to save some of the children," she said.
ANC KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Mdumiseni Ntuli said the provincial leadership "woke up to this news".
"Usually when there’s such a massacre, in many instances in the past, it relates to family affairs," he said.
Ntuli said provincial leadership would visit the homestead and try and get to the bottom of why these murders occurred.
