Pretoria (South Africa) – An undocumented 28-year-old man, Sam Mhlanga, who claims to be from Zimbabwe, has appeared before the Kwamhlanga Magistrate’s Court on two counts of murder and two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Police spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said Mhlanga allegedly hacked four people.
“Two succumbed to injuries, one being his uncle, whilst the other two sustained some injuries,” Mohlala said.
Following the court appearance on Tuesday, the case against Mhlanga was postponed to Thursday for the availability of an interpreter. The accused man remains in custody.
On Monday, Mhlanga also appeared before the Tweefontein Magistrate’s Court, after he was arrested on Sunday, on charges of contravention the Immigration Act. That matter was postponed to November 15.
“According to the information at police disposal, the alleged assailant visited his uncle on 31 October 2022 at his residence at Mountain View in Kwamhlanga, and an argument is said to have ensued. It is further alleged that the suspect started hacking his 60-year-old uncle with an axe.
“It has also come to the attention of the police that after the gruesome murder, the suspect proceeded to a different section in Mountain View where he allegedly attacked a local woman with an axe and she unfortunately succumbed to the injuries later in hospital,” Mohlala said.
“The suspect further attacked another female who was carrying a baby on her back. During that attack, the child too sustained some injuries.”
The matter was reported to the police and an investigation was started on the two counts of murder, as well as the two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Mhlanga was cornered by the police and arrested in Tweefontein.
