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The 34-year-old Zimbabwean was arrested in King William’s Town, Eastern Cape, within 24 hours of the killings, which are believed to have taken place Tuesday night in Elliotdale, 225 km away.
“He was in hiding at the time of his arrest and was allegedly preparing to flee the country,” Cele said.
The bodies of Nomzamo Mhlanti, 42, and his five children, Azakhiwe, 10, Yibanathi, 8, twins Wineka and Thoko, 5, and Luphumlo, 6 months, were discovered by Mhlanti’s eldest son, Balungile, 16 , on Wednesday.
They were lying on the floor of their hut in the village of Sidebekweni, and nearby where photographs with the faces of the deceased were crossed out.
In a statement Saturday, Cele said the family was attacked and killed with an ax, believed to be the same weapon that was found at the crime scene.
Eastern Cape Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga described the incident as devastating.
“It is inconceivable that right on the opening day of the 16 Days of Activism we can wake up to such a horrible and harrowing incident. Whoever is behind these horrible and ruthless killings must be found without delay, ”said Ntshinga.
Cele said that while it was the responsibility of the police to bring the killers to justice, “these arrests only occur after the fact and, in many cases, after lives are destroyed and lost.”
He added: “I am calling on men, I urge you all to stop brutalizing and raping women and children … it’s that simple.”
TimesLIVE
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