Amicicide Leads to Suicide

POLOKWANE – The Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has strongly condemned a domestic violence related act, following a horrific incident that took place Monday afternoon, 07 October 2024, wherein a man allegedly shot himself dead in a vehicle after being cornered by police along N1 Freeway, Mokopane policing precinct in Waterberg District.

Police were alerted about the fatal shooting of a 45-year-old female partner at Pongola in Kwa Zulu-Natal, when the woman and the man were driving together in white Jeep. The man apparently after shooting the woman removed her body from the vehicle and drove off to Limpopo.

The shocking incident was immediately reported to the police at Phongola who attended the scene, and police in Limpopo were activated. Police members of the Limpopo Highway Patrol were tasked. As they were on the lookout, the described vehicle was spotted. The suspect noticed the police who blocked his vehicle and instructed him to alight from the vehicle, he refused and subsequently shot himself.

Paramedics were called to the scene and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the couple who originates from Lenyenye outside Tzaneen in Mopani were coming from an event in Kwa Zulu-Natal province.

The motive behind the incident will be established by Police investigations, but domestic violence related issues cannot be ruled out.

A case of murder is opened at Pongola in Kwa Zulu-Natal province, and an inquest is opened at Mokopane, Limpopo province.

“We are saddened by this incident because women are continuously being victimized and even killed by their partners. Community is still called to seek professional assistance when experiencing challenges in their relationships,” said Lieutenant General Hadebe.

Police investigations are still ongoing.

* Amicicide – the act of killing a friend (Latin: amicus “friend”).