Residents of the Kutama area are still shocked after three people were killed in a suspected lover's triangle at Midoroni last Monday.

According to the police, the circumstances leading to the tragedy are still sketchy, but it is suspected that a security guard shot his girlfriend and her alleged lover, before he turned his pistol on himself.

The SAPS spokesperson for Tshilwavhusiku SAPS, Constable Munyadziwa Marindi, said the deceased are Mr Edward Chauke (44), Mr Azwifaneli Khomunala, a security guard, and their girlfriend, Miss Mpho Tutja (25).

A fire-arm was discovered at the scene of the incident. “We would like to urge people to desist from violence in the event of misunderstandings. They should rather try to resolve their disputes in an amicable manner, or opt for counselling to avoid unnecessary loss of life,” said Marindi.

According to the chairperson of Sanco in Midoroni, Mr James Delekisa, they were aware of reports that the security guard had suspected that his girlfriend had an affair with another man. He abandoned his work and went to the house of the man, only a few metres from the Midoroni clinic. Here he found the two inside the shack and shot them, after which he allegedly turned the gun on himself.

Mr Mahlodi Tutja, brother of Miss Tutja, said that the family and community were traumatised. He said the death of Mpho had left them with deep wounds that would take some time to heal. “We lost a family member. She was our breadwinner, and she cannot be replaced.”

The manager at the Mamaila Trading Security, Mr Khathutshelo Madima, said the morale in the division was very low after they had lost one of their hardworking staff members. "It is very painful to lose a good member of staff,” he added.