SANDF member allegedly kills teenage son before attempting suicide

Zuko Komisa

A 53-year-old SANDF member allegedly shot and killed his 17-year-old son before attempting suicide at Ha Mutsha village on Sunday morning.
Police found the father outside with a handgun, having discovered the teenage victim shot dead inside the house.
The Limpopo Police Commissioner condemned the fatal incident, urging families facing domestic issues to seek professional help.

A South African National Defence Force (SANDF) member, aged 53, is alleged to have fatally shot his 17-year-old son before attempting to take his own life in a devastating incident at Ha Mutsha village on Sunday, 19 October 2025.

The tragic events unfolded around 6:17 AM in the Levubu policing area within the Vhembe District, prompting an immediate police response.

Officers arriving at the scene found the father lying outside the house in a pool of blood with a handgun next to him and spent cartridges scattered on the ground. Upon entering the dwelling, they discovered the 17-year-old boy dead on a bed, having sustained fatal gunshot wounds to the head.

It was later confirmed that the man is a serving member of the SANDF, stationed outside Mookgophong. He was rushed to hospital for urgent medical attention and remains there under police guard. The firearm used in the incident, a 9mm pistol, has been confiscated by police as part of the ongoing investigation.

Limpopo Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe issued a statement condemning the killing and expressing distress over the ongoing prevalence of domestic violence in the province. She urged families grappling with personal challenges to seek professional help, emphasising that resorting to violence is never a solution.

Police have opened a case of murder and attempted suicide as they continue their investigation into the circumstances of the shooting.