The Khambule homestead where seven family members were murdered. Picture: Sibonelo Ngcobo/ Independent Newspaper
The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development, Mbali Shinga, will visit the grieving Khambule family on Monday after seven members were brutally murdered in Highflats last week.
It is reported that on Wednesday evening unknown gunmen entered the house and opened fire on family members who were seated in the lounge. Seven people, including three children, were killed instantly.
Shinga expressed her deepest sympathy to the family and vowed to work with them during this trying moment.
During the visit, she will introduce a team from the Department of Social Development to assist the family and all those affected by this heinous mass murder.
During his visit to the family last week, KZN Premier Thami Ntuli called on police to investigate the mass killing of the family in Hlokozi thoroughly.
Ntuli called for swift action from law enforcement agencies.
“No matter what the reason or the cause might be, this is the behaviour of a criminal, of which police have a duty to arrest a person who behaves like this in a community, to remove a person who behaves like this in the community who shoots and kills children, innocent souls.”
KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said evidence showed that some of the family members were shot in the head while lying on the floor.
He said among the dead were three women aged 35, 38, and 55, a 48-year-old man and three children, aged five, 11 and 12.
The police found 18 cartridges and seven bullet heads.
“We are convinced that this was a planned execution. They organised and planned to come and kill this family. Some family members were shot in the head while lying down.
“We have established a provincial team to work with the district to try and follow up on this investigation. We hope we are going to find the perpetrators,” said Mkhwanazi.
The Mercury
Related Topics: