Police say that preliminary investigations suggest poverty may have been a motivating factor in a tragedy that shook Lusikisiki residents after a mother allegedly killed her three daughters by forcing them to ingest pills before taking her own life.
According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu, at about 2am on Monday, four children between the ages of four and 14 years old were asleep with their grandmother when they were awakened by their 41-year-old mother.
“Veziwe Ntsizela informed them to accompany her for a prayer in another room. Instead, the children were taken to the forest in Luzuphu locality, where they were allegedly forced to drink life-threatening pills.
“The older child, 14, resisted and managed to run away. The child sought help from a nearby homestead and police were notified. Bodies of the children were found, however the mother was missing,” said Naidu.
The Grahamstown Search and Rescue Unit found the lifeless bodies of the children identified as Iyapha Ntsizela, 4, Phila Ntsizela, 8, and 12-year-old Inga Ntsizela on Tuesday at about 10am.
Ntsizela's body was found about 100m away from her children in dense bushes.
“Police are investigating cases of murder and an inquest.
“Preliminary investigation suggest that poverty may have been a motivating factor for this tragedy. An incident of this nature also took place in the Tholeni Administrative area in Butterworth in August, where a mother also poisoned and killed her three children,” said Naidu.
Police provincial commissioner Nomthetheleli Mene expressed sadness at the incident which has shocked the community of Lusikisiki.
“If the motive was allegedly driven by poverty, this raises a profound concern about the struggles that some members of our community face daily. This is a stark reminder of the importance of reaching out to those in need, offering support, and fostering a sense of family within our community.”
Provincial health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that the bodies were transported to Lusikisiki Forensic Pathology Services.
“These are unnatural deaths and are now part of a forensic investigation. For this reason, the department cannot speculate on causes of death. The department will conduct autopsies to determine the medical cause of death,” said Kupelo.
Cape Times