South African Cop Takes His Own Life After Killing His Ex-Girlfriend and Their One-Year-Old Daughter

A South African police officer has taken his own life after fatally shooting his 27-year-old former partner, Abona Magaba, and their one-year-old daughter, Lihlume Magaba.

Thembelani Lamani fired a gun, causing the deaths of Aboni and Lihlume at her folks’ residence in Samora Machel, Cape Town, on the 10th of April, 2024.

There are claims that the individual in question, who served as a law enforcement officer based in Faure, employed his official firearm to fatally shoot Abona subsequent to the termination of their romantic involvement a few weeks earlier.

Reportedly, Lamani had visited Abona’s residence in the days leading up to the tragic incident, attempting to persuade her to reconcile, yet she declined.

On the April 10, the accused returned, and when Abona’s family attempted to prevent him from entering the premises, he opened fire, resulting in the deaths of his former partner and their child.

Abona’s younger sister, aged 13, sustained a gunshot wound to the leg but fortunately survived the ordeal.

Following the incident, the suspect purportedly retreated to his vehicle, where he reportedly used his service pistol to take his own life.

Addressing reporters, Nozuko Magaba, the mother of the deceased, recounted that Lamani had been frequenting their residence in attempts to reconcile with Aboni, but she consistently declined his advances.

“I was walking out of the yard, he was standing outside by the gate and he was smoking. I knew him, he was in a relationship with my daughter. I asked him why he was here and told him not to go into my house while smoking,” the grief-stricken woman said.

“He took out a gun and I told Abona to lock the door. My 14-year-old daughter locked the door, he shot just under the lock and then shot at the window to the passage and then went to the window on the side of the house and broke it and gained entry.

“There were so many shots, all I could say to the people was that my family was being annihilated. And then I heard my husband shout, ‘Why have you come to kill my child in my house?

“Shortly after that, I heard another shot. I decided to run to my sister’s house and told her that people have been killed in my house

“The police responded very quickly and asked where the shooting was. I told them in my house, they went inside..

“They told me not to go inside and they told me that my husband was still alive, but my eldest daughter and grandchild had been killed and that the young one had been shot in the leg.”

“Lamani then shot and killed himself in the car which was parked outside the house,” she added.

Nozuko Magaba also elaborated that the relationship between Abona and Lamani was marked by turbulence and instability.

“He was an abusive man and we didn’t approve of him. Where my daughter drew the line was when he broke her laptop from work and her cellphone because he accused her of cheating, which wasn’t true. My daughter was either with him or here at home

“My daughter had to buy a laptop which cost R15 000 because her employer didn’t care what happened.”

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie stated that investigators in Samora Machel are examining the circumstances surrounding the demise of three individuals, one of whom was an off-duty police constable.

“The tragic incident happened on Wednesday evening at about 7pm at Basil February Street, Samora Machel. Preliminary investigation suggests that the off-duty police constable shot his girlfriend, her daughter and wounded a 13-year-old girl in the leg who resides at the same address,” Pojie said.

“He then went to his car where he allegedly turned his service pistol on himself. Two counts of murder, an attempted murder and an inquest were opened for further investigation.”