A 47-year-old woman, her two sons and a 40-year-old woman were shot dead by a policeman in Southport, Port Shepstone, early on Monday morning, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

“It is alleged that the police officer had an argument with his family and shot and killed them before turning the gun on himself,” police spokesperson Thulani Zwane said.

“Police first received a report of a murder at South Port at approximately 02:00, where a 40-year-old woman was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds to her body.”

The woman was identified as Jabu Cele, an administration clerk at the police crime intelligence division.

Several hours later, the policeman’s colleagues went to his home to investigate why he had not arrived for work.

“When colleagues went to his house… they found that his wife [Fikile Shange] and two sons [Snakekelo, 10, and Snakhokonke, 15] were shot and killed in the house.”

The policeman, Warrant Officer Linda Shange, 49, was found alive with gunshot wounds to his body, but he died en route to hospital.

“Three counts of murder and an inquest docket were opened at Southport police station for further investigation,” Zwane said.

“The recovered firearm will be sent for ballistic tests to establish if it was used in the killing of his family and the 40-year-old woman.”

– SAPA