Police Officer Arrested For Beating His 70-Year-Old Mother To Death With A Plank

On May 9, a 46-year-old police officer assigned to the KwaDabeka Community Service Centre appeared in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court facing murder charges after allegedly assaulting his mother, who died as a result of her injuries.

Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala, the spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS), stated that on Friday, May 6, police received a complaint about an assault on a 70-year-old woman. When officers arrived at the scene, they caught the suspect in the act at a KwaDabeka residence. “…busy assaulting the victim with a plank,” a police spokesperson said.

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The elderly woman suffered multiple injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment, but she died. Gwala stated that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) will take over the investigation.

Nonhlanhla Khoza, MEC for Social Development in KZN, identified the deceased as Greta Xaba and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.

According to the department, during the alleged assault, the mother’s helper and a child in the house escaped through a window and called for help from neighbours.

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The accused allegedly abused his mother for a long time, and she always refused to open a case or speak to anyone about it.

According to Khoza, the prolonged abuse proves that the accused “had clear intentions to kill” his mother.  “We want to see him convicted for life imprisonment for his action,” she added.

A team of social workers has been dispatched to provide psychosocial support to the Xaba family.