On Tuesday, the High Court in Middelburg found the mother of four, Zinhle Maditla, guilty of killing four of her small children – Minenhle (8), Blessing (7), Shaniqua (3) and Ethen (11 months) – before taking the rat poison herself in December.
It is alleged the 25-year-old found the father of her two youngest children in bed with another woman and a fight broke out.
Out of anger, on her way home she allegedly bought rat poison worth R10, which she fed to all her children.
They all died and she survived to tell the tale!
Meanwhile, only last month, Sbu Mpungose from Pinetown was arrested for strangling his four children – Kuhlekonke (4), Khwezi (6), Siphesihle Mpungose (10) and his stepdaughter Ayakha Jiyane (17) – to death.
It is alleged he was found attempting to take his life.
He also lived to tell the tale.
All this because his wife had filed for divorce and the court ordered him to leave the family home.
These two cases are similar, the crimes were committed by people who were scorned lovers who felt by taking their lives and the children’s they will hurt and scar the mothers for life.
They cried in the dock for their actions and wish to turn back the hands of time, but unfortunately it is too late, the children are dead and nothing they say or do can bring them back.
People, at least those I have crossed paths with in my adult life, have this silly notion of “if I can’t have him/her, then no one else can”.
Many even go to the extent of saying he/she is not going to start a new life with someone else with my children.
What silly nonsense is this?
How did we get to the point that we build our lives around those we love and without them we are worthless?
I know someone is sitting somewhere reading this and saying I am writing from a position of privilege and don’t know the suspect’s mental state when they take the decision to wipe their families off the face of the earth.
If you feel life is getting too much for you, speak out and seek help.
It is not fair that your children and loved ones have to be sacrificed because you feel you can no longer go on now that you are heartbroken.
Life happens, hearts get broken, but with time they heal and one day you will look back and all this will be in the past.
Please seek help and stop killing our children.
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