Manhunt launched after 77-year-old woman hacked to death, daughter wounded and grandchild kidnapped

Police are calling on Mthandazo Joseph Baskete, a taxi driver in the Louis Trichardt area, to report to the nearest police station as he may be able to assist in the investigation.

• Limpopo police are investigating the murder of a 77-year-old woman who was hacked to death.
• It is alleged that her daughter’s ex-boyfriend killed her.
• The 32-year-old daughter was wounded during the same attack and her five-year-old son was kidnapped.

Limpopo police have launched a manhunt for the ex-boyfriend of a 32-year-old woman after he allegedly killed her mother, attempted to kill her, and kidnapped her five-year-old son in Mashau Bodwe village, outside Louis Trichardt.

According to police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the women were asleep when the ex-boyfriend forcibly entered the house.

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He allegedly started to “hack both women with a panga”, Ledwaba said, before forcing the five-year-old child into the 32-year-old woman’s vehicle.

“Both victims were taken to hospital after they sustained severe injuries. Consequent to the horrific incident, police opened two counts of attempted murder, [as well as counts of] kidnapping and motor vehicle theft,” Ledwaba said. 

The mother, Rose Mabasa, later died of her injuries, prompting police to change one of the attempted murder charges to a murder charge.

READ | Police launch manhunt after man shot execution-style in front of his Limpopo home

“A manhunt for the suspect was immediately activated,” Ledwaba added.

The vehicle was found abandoned in Makhado and the child was found at his father’s homestead in Mashamba village. But the ex-boyfriend was nowhere to be found.

Police have appealed to a taxi driver in Louis Trichardt, identified as Mthandazo Joseph Baskete, to report to the nearest police station because it is believed that he might be able to assist police with their investigation.