Dad 'kills' three kids and hangs himself

THE distressing three-month search led to a horrific end after the three missing children and their father were found dead.

Puleng Phaka (43) from Soshanguve, Extension 6 in Tshwane disappeared on 31 December 2023, after a disagreement with the mother of the kids, Mbali Mlotshwa (28), over finances.

According to Mbali, Puleng had promised to buy kids fireworks and bought alcohol instead.

She claims that Puleng got angry after she confronted him about his decision of buying booze instead of fireworks.

Mbali is still horrified and distraught.

Puleng was found hanging from a tree in the bushes near the Rosslyn industrial area on Friday, 23 February.

Puleng's sister, Mmaphuthi Phaka, said the police informed her that his brother was found on Friday, January 5, by a cattle herder.

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"After staying at the government mortuary for two months, they could only locate us through the missing case we opened," she said.

Mmaphuthi said there was no suicide note or other obvious evidence indicating where the children could be, implying that the police had failed them.

"I begged them multiple times to search the same bushes, but they didn't listen," she said, suggesting that they might have found them alive.

Phaka died facing three counts of kidnapping his two stepchildren, Siphamandla (11), Nkosana (8) and biological child, Mpho Mlotshwa (6), all of whom were found on Sunday, March 3 at the opposite field where he hung himself on the day of his burial.

A grieving mother, who had given up hope of finding her children alive, told Daily Sun that she was desperately hoping for help in locating the remains and will now be able to bury her children and get closure.

"I had hoped for a positive outcome, unfortunately we don't always get what we want in life. I underestimated his capabilities and now I'm left with pain and sorrow. I wouldn't want my worst enemy to experience this," she said.

Captain Mavela Masondo, spokesperson of the Gauteng SAPS confirmed the discovery of the decomposed bodies of the children, aged 7 to 12, in an open field in Rosslyn on 2 March.

He claimed that the children were taken by their father on 31 December 2023, following a disagreement with their mum.

"The find was made during a ceremony in the bush, and police were called and rushed to the scene. A postmortem and a DNA analysis will be undertaken to ascertain the cause of death and whether the children were kidnapped by the mother's boyfriend.

"A case of three counts of murder has been opened at Akasia Police Station, and the investigation is ongoing," stated Masondo.