Cape Town – A 48-year-old man from the Ngome policing precinct in northern KwaZulu-Natal has been arrested for allegedly burning his girlfriend to death, hacking her adult daughter with an axe, and raping her 13-year-old daughter.
His arrest forms part of a wider national crime-crackdown that has seen more than 17 000 suspects taken into custody.
According to South African Police Service (SAPS) figures, from 3 to 9 November 2025 a total of 17 817 suspects were arrested in operations including Operation Shanela II and the “Safer Festive Season Operation”. Among them were 145 arrests for murder, 154 for attempted murder and 137 for rape.
The KZN case unfolded on 6 November when police say the suspect set fire to his girlfriend’s bedroom in a home beside Shanelweni Reserve. “Reports indicate that the 13‑year‑old girl was asleep with her elder sister when she was woken up by a noise at the door,” the SAPS statement said.
#sapsKZN A swift response by #SAPS Vryheid #K9Unit and Hlobane police officers has led to the arrest of a 48yr-old man, a few moments after he allegedly burnt his 41yr-old girlfriend to death, and hacked her 28yr-old daughter with an axe before raping her 13yr-old daughter at… pic.twitter.com/N1qedXAVUZ
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) November 6, 2025
“She saw her mother’s boyfriend was hacking her sister with an axe. The brave girl attempted to intervene but … the axe‑wielding man … dragged the 13‑year‑old out of the house. As he was dragging her, she noticed smoke coming from the room which her mother was sleeping in. The suspect dragged her to the nearby bushes where he raped her, before releasing her just before dawn.”
The following day the suspect was apprehended by the K9 specialist unit at his home in KwaMnyathi. According to police, the girlfriend had suffered fatal burn injuries and was found dead on the scene, while the 28‑year‑old daughter was seriously wounded.
SAPS described the arrest as part of an “intelligence‑led” effort to “stamp the authority of the state” ahead of the holiday period. Meanwhile, the national campaign’s results were celebrated for the scale of the crackdown: a news release noted that “2 837 wanted suspects” were among those arrested during one of the Shanela II weeks of action.
The suspect is expected to appear in court soon to face charges of murder, rape, attempted murder and other related offences. Police urged the public to continue reporting suspicious activity, stressing that while significant progress has been made, the fight against violent and sexual crimes remains a priority.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
