THE family of Sambulo Sigwane of Maphungwane who allegedly killed the mother of his child and also killed himself has revealed how they made several attempts to broker peace between the couple.
The community of Sikhonkwaneni under Maphungwane Umphakatsi woke up to a shocking discovery on Wednesday after finding 20-year-old Phindile Ndlangamandla lying in a pool of blood, bearing gapping wounds on the head and body while at her parental home.
The father of her one-year-old child was also found lying dead about 300 metres from the homestead.
The police described the incident as a murder-suicide case.
Sigwane is alleged to have attacked the mother of his child in the middle of the night and brutally killed her, before proceeding to commit suicide at a nearby playground by ingesting a poisonous substance.
Speaking to this publication, Sigwane’s sister Nelisiwe Mayisela said the deceased had reported having differences with his girlfriend a few months earlier.
Mayisela said Sigwane was visibly troubled by what was playing out in his relationship with Ndlangamandla.
He is said to have reported that they had actually broken up about two months ago.
Mayisela disclosed that the family made several attempts to broker peace between the couple after Sigwane reported that he was unable to accept that the mother of his child was now in a relationship with another man who had just arrived in the area.
“We reported the matter to a member of the umphakatsi inner council who also happened to be an uncle to the new boyfriend,” said Mayisela.
She said their intent was to make peace with everyone involved in the matter as the situation was evidently volatile.
At the beginning of April, Sigwane left the community after finding a piece job near Mpaka where he looked after a homestead.
He returned home for the first time over the past weekend.
Again, Mayisela said Sigwane expressed his unhappiness at the fact that he had separated with the mother of his child.
He reportedly convinced his family that he was gradually accepting the separation and was now focusing on the future.
Mayisela said he, however, stated that he would not be going back to his job, saying the salary was meagre.
This was until the fateful night when he launched an attack on the young woman.
In the meantime, the family of the young woman had also disclosed that the disagreements between the couple were also reported to the police on two separate occasions after Sigwane threatened Ndlangamandla with death.
Sakhile Matsenjwa said they were unhappy with the manner in which the police handled the matter as they seemed to have taken it lightly and never engaged the couple.
Both families have also appealed for public assistance towards the burial of the deceased.
