MANDALA – The brutal killing of three people, including a one-year-old boy at Mandala Village, East of Siloam Hospital in the Nzhelele area, has sent shockwaves through the area. The horrific incident took place at the Phidza family home at Mandala village on Monday night.

According to the spokesperson of the police in the Vhembe Area, Supt Ailwei Mushavhanamadi, the bodies of Mrs Tshililo Phidza (33), her daughter Tendani Phidza (7) and a her one-year-old son, Dakalo Phidza were found lying in a pool of blood inside the house by Tshililo’s mother-in-law on Tuesday morning. He added that the old lady lived next door to the deceased.

On arrival at the deceased’s home she found the body of her daughter-in-law laying in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds. She then proceeded to the other room where she found two of the deceased’s children, Tendani and Dakalo’s laying in their beds. Their bodies also had multiple stab wounds.

The old woman also found two of the deceased’s remaining children, Ndivhuwo (10) and Vhutshilo (12) lying on the floor next to the bed on which their younger sister and brother’s bodies were. Although Ndivhuwo and Vhutshilo had serious stab wounds as well, they were still alive. The old woman then called the neighbours who phoned the police. Ndivhuwo and Vhutshilo were immediately taken to Siloam Hospital for medical treatment.

According to the police statement, they were transferred to the Polokwane Provincial Hospital later that afternoon, from where their conditions were reported to be serious at the time of going to the press. No arrest had been made at the time of going to press.