KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli visited the Monswamy family, offering support after the tragic murder of seven family members this week.
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KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli visited the Monswamy family following the brutal murder of seven members of the family, as police confirmed that suspects arrested in connection with the case are expected to appear in court next week.
The visit comes days after the victims were abducted from their home in Newtown, Newark, under the Mandeni Local Municipality, before being transported to Melmoth where they were killed in an attack that has drawn widespread condemnation.
According to the Post newspaper, they have been identified as Allen Monswamy, 52, his wife Sandy, 57, their children Kraidon, 26, and Shamaria, 20, and relatives Gonosagren Padayachee, 51, Mooniamma Padayachee, 78 and Mariama Happanah, 83.
Speaking during the visit on Friday, Ntuli said the incident had deeply affected both government and the broader community.
“As you would know from the government side, the incident that happened here in your community really touched us. And we are here to offer our support and to share the pain,” he said.
He said social workers had been deployed to provide counselling to affected family members and residents.
Ntuli also commended the role played by community members, private security, and police in responding to the incident and assisting in the arrest of suspects.
“When they got the news to stand up together, private security and the police, in particular, were quite instrumental in arresting the suspects,” he said.
Police have since confirmed that the suspects will make their first court appearance on Tuesday, April 28.
Ntuli said authorities would pursue the matter to ensure justice for the victims, adding that police were still searching for at least one outstanding suspect.
“We are hopeful that soon he will be arrested.”
“We will do everything possible to ensure that the court gives a harsh sentence to these suspects,” he said.
He acknowledged growing public concern over violent crime in the province, saying the government needed to respond to persistent questions about safety.
He added that while cooperation between communities and law enforcement had led to arrests, the loss of life remained a significant failure.
“Cooperation which we made a call for is yielding results. Hence we were able to arrest the suspects but unfortunately we were unable to save the lives which was the most important thing.”
Ntuli said restoring a sense of safety in communities remained a priority and called for closer collaboration between residents, police, and local safety structures.
“My belief is that working together is the only solution. I do not believe government alone can do it,” he said.
He also raised concerns about substance abuse, citing drug and alcohol use as contributing factors to violent crime.
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