The executive mayor of the Vhembe District, Cllr Falaza Mdaka, accompanied by the mayor of Thulamela Municipality, Khosi Vho Thivhulawi Makumbane, visited the bereaved Kharivhe family at Mukula outside Thohoyandou this week.

The executive mayor visited the family after Meshack Kharivhe (35) allegedly bludgeoned his wife and three children to death with a spade before turning himself in to the police.

A family member, who wanted to remain anonymous, said they do not know the reason behind the killing. "My brother came to my house on Saturday midnight, asking me to accompany him to the police station. I did not know the reason and I did not ask him. Along the way he was complaining, saying that luck is not on his side. I only learnt about the killings when he reported himself to the police. When we came back with the police, we found four bodies in pools of blood in different rooms," added Kharivhe.

Meshack Kharivhe is a member of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) at Maunavhathu Military Base near Thohoyandou. He allegedly killed his wife, Winnie (38), daughter Zwonaka (7), son Thendo (3) and Maduvha, who was a nine-month-old boy.

According to Thoyandou police spokesman Raidani Nkanukeni, the body of Kharivhe’s wife was found in a pool of blood in the sitting room.

Khosi Makumbane expressed his condolences. He indicated that the district and the local municipality were committed to assisting Kharivhe’s family in this time of bereavement. He appealed to the family members not to point fingers to each other but to be united and bury their loved ones in peace.