Johannesburg - Jabulani Isaac Nkosi was lucky to have survived a shooting at the start of the year. Eleven days later, however, he was killed in a hit allegedly organised by his wife and teenage daughter.
Busi Nkosi, the 41-year-old wife of the Mpumalanga funeral parlour owner, and their 17-year-old daughter are accused of being part of a group of people who organised and later executed the hit.
He was shot several times in his home, but his wife and daughter claim not to have seen or heard a thing – although they were both in the house at the time – said police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi.
Nkosi had a brush with death on January 8 when armed men broke into his home and demanded money.
"Nkosi fought back and, in the process, he was shot. He was then rushed to a nearby hospital, where he received medical treatment," Hlathi said.
Nkosi was discharged from hospital on January 16. Three days later, the suspects entered his home and fired several shots at him before fleeing the scene, Hlathi said.
According to Hlathi, Nkosi had been downstairs in his home while his wife and daughter were upstairs.
"Police as well as paramedics were notified by a member of the public about the incident and they swiftly responded. Upon arrival, Nkosi was declared dead by the medical personnel on the scene.
"Mother and daughter told the police that they didn't hear anything. Even the police and the paramedics were called by neighbours.
"A case of murder was opened and police immediately began with the investigation. A manhunt was launched for the suspects."
The attempted murder on January 8 formed part of the investigation, Hlathi said.
Busi Nkosi, their daughter, Muntu Mashinini, Sipho Dube, Thokozane Radebe and Zenele Malindisi have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder as well as murder and appeared in the Balfour Magistrate's Court on Monday.
Their case was postponed to February 3 for a bail application.
Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant-General Bethuel Mondli Zuma thanked the police for their swift arrest of the suspects.
"As we celebrated National Police Day on Monday, January 27, we do not just celebrate mediocrity but we celebrate outstanding performance by each member throughout the year and, at this point, these members managed to quickly arrest the alleged murderers of Mr Nkosi."