News24.com | Eastern Cape man accused of butchering 4 relatives was 'triggered' by load shedding, says resident

A 24-year-old Lusikisiki man allegedly used an axe to butcher four family members.

• The aunt of an Eastern Cape man who is accused of butchering his four relatives says the deep wound the murders have caused will never heal.
• Kwazi Tiba, 24, is accused of hacking to death his 89-year-old grandmother, uncle, aunt and cousin, allegedly after load shedding "triggered" him.
• His aunt said his behaviour changed days before the incident.

The 24-year-old Lusikisiki man accused of using an axe to butcher four family members on Thursday evening, was "triggered" by load shedding, according to a resident of the village where they lived.

His aunt added that his state of mind had changed days before the incident.

Kwazi Tiba allegedly killed his 89-year-old grandmother Nomantombi Nobanda; his uncle Thembinkosi Nobanda, 42; his aunt Nomhayaya Phatekile, 38; and his five-year-old cousin, Olwande Phatekile.

Three other cousins, aged five to 16, fled on foot.

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France resident and ward committee member Xoliswa Mseswa, 46, who said she had interviewed a witness, spoke to News24.

She said the power went off at around 18:00 in the village. 

The accused, his now deceased relatives, and his three cousins lived together on the property, which consists of a cluster of cottages. 

Mseswa said Kwazi slept in an outdoor cottage at the homestead, which also had sleeping quarters for his family.

Mseswa said:

"An eyewitness said he hacked him twice in the head before proceeding to the aunt, followed by the child and ended off with the granny," Mseswa added.

"We have never ever seen anything like this before in our area. This incident has shocked everyone."

Angry community members went in search of Tiba, prompting him to hide.

She said Tiba emerged when police arrived.

"All along he had been hiding up the tree at his home. He jumped down and ran to the police and was immediately arrested," Mseswa added.

Eastern Cape police spokesperson, Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana, said Tiba appeared in the Lusikisiki Magistrate's Court on Friday on four counts of murder.

Kinana said the motive for the killings was unknown.

The accused's aunt, Nomzamo Manyobevu, 44, told News24 that Kwazi's state of mind and behaviour had changed in the days leading up to the incident. 

"I stay in a different village. So his grandmother is my mother. She called me and reported that he was showing disturbing signs. He then went missing for a day and appeared at our relative's home in another village," Manyobevu said.

She added that when she arrived at the village to see him, he was found smeared in mud. It was over his body, on his face and on his head. 

Manyobevu said:

She drove him back to his France village home on Wednesday – a day before the family was killed.

Manyobevu said the surviving family members, which include her and her three sisters, were shattered by what had happened.

"This deep wound will never heal. We place our hope in God the saviour. He was such a well-mannered and calm child. We did not see this coming. We want to know what led to this," Manyobevu said.

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She added relatives also told her that they had spotted a rope dangling from the ceiling of Tiba's room, which led to suspicions that he had attempted to or thought of killing himself.

Police have registered a murder docket for investigation. 

They confiscated the axe believed to have been used to kill the family.

Eastern Cape Social Development MEC Bukiwe Fanta said the department welcomed the swift arrest.

"We equally deplore this senseless killing and hope that the justice system will mete out the severest of punishments. Our social workers are readily on track to offer professional psycho-social support services to all affected by this gruesome act," Fanta added.