Man Sets Wife, Children Abl@ze Before Taking Pøison

A tragic incident in South Africa has left many in shock after a man allegedly set his wife and two young children on fire before taking his own life. The heartbreaking event occurred in the early hours of Friday, 24 October 2025, in the Boekehouthoek area near Kwaggafontein, Mpumalanga Province.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), officers discovered the charred remains of a woman and her two children inside a burnt-out vehicle. Police spokesperson Jabu Ndubane confirmed that the victims have been identified as 32-year-old Lucia Thembisile Mahiyane and her children, Bokamoso and Karabo Ngele, aged seven and four.

Reports indicate that the suspect, a 37-year-old man, confessed to his uncle that he had killed his family by setting the vehicle ablaze at the Zithabiseni Bridge area. Following the confession, police traced him to his grandparents’ home in Boekehouthoek, where he was found unresponsive and foaming at the mouth.

Emergency services were called to the scene, but the suspect was declared dead. Preliminary investigations suggest he consumed poison shortly after killing his family.

Major-General Zeph Mkhwanazi, the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Mpumalanga, condemned the gruesome act, describing it as a painful reminder of the growing problem of domestic violence and family killings in the country. He urged couples and families facing conflict to seek help through lawful and counselling channels instead of resorting to violence.

The police have opened three counts of murder and an inquest docket as investigations continue.