MATANGARI - The little rural village of Matangari Dube is still reeling with shock after an incident in which a 36-year-old man allegedly hacked another man to death with a garden lasher and seriously injured a 42-year-old woman on Saturday.

The suspect, Takalani Ndou (36), was arrested by Mutale police and he was charged with murder and attempted murder. He appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court and the case was postponed to February 10.

The suspect, the deceased and the injured woman all stayed in the neighborhood. The deceased, Mr Morris Begwa, was a well-known car washer who plied his trade on the banks of the Mutale river, near Tshilamba, and the injured woman, Mrs Joyce Khavhagali, works at Konanani Brickyard in Makonde village.

Capt Ailwei Mushavhanamadi of the Vhembe police confirmed the incident and said the suspect accused the victim of having an affair with his wife. “The suspect, who was employed at Tshikondeni Mine, went to the deceased’s home at about 10:30 on Saturday morning and accused the deceased of having a love affair with his wife. It is alleged that he then produced a lasher and started hacking him indiscriminately. The deceased sustained serious head injuries and his left hand was totally cut off. His right hand was also broken and he had multiple wounds in the face and on his head. He died at the scene.”

Mushavhanamadi said the suspect then proceeded to the kraal of a 42-year-old woman and accused her of being instrumental in the alleged love affair of the deceased and his woman.

“He used the same lasher to hack the woman, who sustained injuries on the head and cheek, and her left ear was completely cut off. She also had injuries on her forehead and she is now receiving treatment at Donald Fraser Hospital.”

Mirror paid a visit to the survivor of the incident, Mrs Joyce Khavhagali, in her hospital bed. She said about the horrible incident: “I saw the suspect sharpening the garden lasher with a grinder that morning and I did not suspect anything. After some hours, he came to my house and started hacking me with the lasher while accusing me that I was instrumental in the alleged relationship of the deceased with the accuser’s wife. I told him I knew nothing about the relationship but he continued hacking me indiscriminately, saying that he was going to kill me. I tried to run but I fell down and he continued hacking me. He was convinced that I was dead when he left me lying helplessly on the ground. I don’t know what happened next because I only found myself on this hospital bed. I thank God because I’m alive.”