Reservist on run after two shot dead

Published May 1, 2014

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Durban - A police reservist is on the run after allegedly killing his girlfriend and her detective cousin in Ladysmith.

Detective-Constable S’phamandla Mgaga and his cousin, Nonkululeko Mgaga, were shot as they sat in a vehicle in Murchison Street, in the Ladysmith central business district, on Tuesday afternoon.

They were both 28.

Mgaga had fetched Nonkululeko from work after she allegedly had an altercation with the reservist.

The couple had been in a relationship for several years.

It is not known what the argument was about.

The reservist allegedly confronted Nonkululeko as she sat in the vehicle and shot her in the head.

He also fired at Mgaga, hitting him in the chest and neck.

Mgaga tried to get away and climbed under the vehicle.

The reservist, however, allegedly fired more shots at him.

He took Mgaga’s State-issue firearm before getting into a car that was parked a short distance away, and fleeing.

The car had Durban registration plates.

Mgaga died in hospital a short while later.

Nonkululeko’s sister, who did not want to be named, said the family had been in lobolo negotiations with the reservist’s family for four years.

The couple had a three-year-old son.

“We are deeply hurt by what has happened… we know who he is,” Nonkululeko’s sister said.

She said the couple had been having domestic issues since 2010.

“He started negotiating with the family (for lobolo) from 2010, and since then he changed.

“They started having domestic problems when they were living together in Johannesburg.”

It is unclear when the couple returned to Ladysmith.

 

Police spokesman, Colonel Jay Naicker, said the shooting took place at about 5pm.

 

A manhunt had been launched and police were confident the reservist would be arrested soon, he said.

Community Safety MEC, Willies Mchunu described the killings as ruthless.

“Police will not rest until the person who is responsible for this barbaric deed has been brought to book.”

KwaZulu-Natal police Commission Mmamonnye Ngobeni appealed to the reservist “to do the right thing and hand himself over to police before we find him”.

A police source said colleagues of Detective-Constable Mgaga were battling to come to terms with the tragedy. - Daily News

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