Durban - In what appears to have been a love triangle that went wrong, a policeman, his wife, his two sons and a woman thought to be his girlfriend were found dead in two separate shooting incidents near Port Shepstone on Monday.
Warrant Officer Linda Shange, 49, is suspected by the police to be responsible for all the deaths including his own.
Port Shepstone police first received a report of a murder at Madlala Location, Southport, at 2am. There they found a 40-year-old woman had been shot dead. The victim was identified as Jabu Cele, a clerk working at crime intelligence in Port Shepstone.
Several hours later, police became suspicious when Shange did not report for duty at the Southport station. Calls to his phone went unanswered and his colleagues went to his home to investigate.
Police spokesman Thulani Zwane said: “Police found his wife, Fikile Shange, 47, and two sons, Snakekelo, 10, and Snakhokonke, 15, had been shot and killed in the house.
“The police arrived at his house at around 7.30am. The front door was locked, but the back door was not. They pushed it open and made the discovery.
“It is thought that Shange had an argument with his family and shot and killed them before turning the gun on himself,” Zwane said.
Shange, who was also in the house, was still alive with gunshot wounds. His service pistol was found lying next to him. He died while on his way to hospital.
“We suspect that the two cases are linked as Cele and Shange were allegedly lovers,” said Zwane.
“We are, however, investigating further and looking for a motive.”
Four counts of murder and an inquest docket have been opened at the Southport police station. The gun is to be sent for ballistic tests to establish if it was used in the killing of the family as well as Cele.
Last night provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni said she was shocked when she learnt that five people were found dead at Southport.
“I extend my condolences,” she said.
The Mercury