A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, as a mother’s desperation, seemingly driven by poverty, led to the poisoning of her three children and her own suicide.
Why did Veziwe Ntsizela murder her three children?
The devastating incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, 11 September 2023, provincial police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu confirmed in a statement.
Veziwe Ntsizela, a 41-year-old mother, reportedly woke her four daughters, aged between four and 14, from their slumber and asked them to join her in another room for a prayer. The children had been sleeping with their grandmother at the time.
However, instead of a prayer, a nightmarish ordeal unfolded.
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Naidu revealed that the children were taken to a forest in the Luzuphu locality, where they were allegedly forced to ingest life-threatening pills.
It’s reported that the 14-year-old daughter resisted and managed to escape. She sought help from a nearby homestead, prompting the involvement of the police.
Tragically, the bodies of the three young victims were discovered, while the mother was missing.
On Tuesday, 12 September 2023, the body of Ntsizela was found in dense bushes by the Grahamstown Search and Rescue Unit, less than 100 meters from where she had poisoned her children a day earlier.
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The three female victims were identified as four-year-old Iyapha Ntsizela, Phila Ntsizela, aged eight, and 12-year-old Inga Ntsizela.
The police are now investigating three counts of murder and an inquest, with preliminary findings suggesting that poverty may have been the driving factor behind this heart-wrenching tragedy.
Ntsizela’s heartwrenching triple murder-suicide comes a month after a similar tragedy occurred in Butterworth, where another mother poisoned and killed her three children.
In South Africa, there are many resourceful organisations that are ready to assist you and your loved one in dealing with suicidal triggers. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) is the country’s largest mental health advocacy group, and their 24-hour hotline is free to use if you or a loved one needs help. You can reach them on 0800 456 789 (24 hours a day), SMS 31393, or visit their website for more info and help.
