'She orchestrated my own killing'

By Mogomotsi Magome

A woman will appear in the Soshanguve magistrates' court on Friday after her alleged attempt to murder her nephew backfired.

The whole plan blew up when the hitmen realised that they knew the man they were allegedly hired to kill.

Elizabeth Mabaso, 61, of Soshanguve, allegedly promised to pay R15 000 for the hit, but was arrested after the men told Orong Segalagala the whole story.

The men were ordered to kidnap Segalagala and shoot him when they arrived in Block TT, before killing his wife Johanna and daughter Mpho, three.

Segalagala did not believe the hitmen at first, until they made him listen to their conversation with her, arranging for payment.

They then made another phone call confirming that they had finished their job, after which she started spreading the news of Segalagala's death.

Segalagala said he was terrified when he heard the news of his planned murder, but was relieved that his would-be killers could not go through with the murder.

"She is my aunt, but she orchestrated my own killing. Even today I cannot really put my finger on what I did to push her to such a decision," he said.

Segalagala said he was further terrified by the fact that his wife and child were also supposed to be killed.

A family member, who chose to remain anonymous, said rumours in the family were that jealousy was the motivation for the attempted conspiracy.

"She apparently told the would-be killers that she had raised her nephew, who owns a small business in Soshanguve, but she stood to gain nothing from his estate when he died. Instead, his wife would benefit from his estate even though she had only met him later in his life when he was already set to be successful," she said.