A HERDSMAN (21) in Kezi beat up his wife (18) to death with a log at his employer’s homestead before hanging himself following a dispute.
Villagers from the area said the couple left behind a baby aged three.
Mr Peter Dube, the area’s acting headman, said the man first locked the gate to his employer’s homestead to stop his wife from escaping, before killing her.
He said the man threatened to kill his employer if she intervened.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Inspector Philani Ndebele confirmed the murder which occurred at Ms Angeline Mahlangu’s homestead in Sizinda Village, Mbembeswane area last Thursday night.
He said the names of the man and his wife could not be disclosed as their next of kin have not yet been advised.
Insp Ndebele said the man murdered his wife at around 8PM and villagers found his body hanging from a tree the following morning, about 500 metres from his employer’s homestead.
“I can confirm that we received a report of a man who beat up his wife to death with a log and then hanged himself. The man and his wife were residing at Ms Mahlangu’s homestead where he was employed as a herdsman.
The man had been employed at the homestead for about two weeks but his boss noticed that he was constantly fighting with his wife. The cause of the conflicts however could not be ascertained,” he said.
Insp Ndebele said on Thursday at around 8PM the man had an altercation with his wife and she fled to Ms Mahlangu’s bedroom hut.
He said Ms Mahlangu promised to take the matter to the area’s village head the following morning.
“The man went on to slap his wife and then retrieved a log which he used to beat her on the head several times. The herdsman persisted until his wife collapsed. He then fled from the homestead into the bushes,” he said.
Villagers conducted a search for the man and only found him the following morning hanging from a tree.
Insp Ndebele said the matter was reported to the police and investigations were underway.
“It’s alarming that domestic violence is still on the increase despite ongoing campaigns by the police. However, we’ll continue conscientising people.
“It’s also important for people to seek counselling when they’ve problems instead of resorting to violence,” he said.
Insp Ndebele also advised members of the public to request identification particulars from their prospective workers before employing them.