A family of seven in Newark, KwaZulu-Natal, were robbed, abducted from their home, and then brutally murdered in Melmoth A manhunt was launched after a domestic worker notified police that her employer’s property had been broken into The South African Police Service, working together with IPSS Security, was able to trace one suspect, who led them to two others Read more:
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online. KWAZULU-NATAL – Three suspects have been arrested following the brutal murders of seven members of one family in Newark, KwaZulu-Natal. The family members, four women and three men, were abducted from their home on the North Coast and their bodies dumped in a veld in Melmoth, approximately 150 kilometres away. They were aged between 20 and 83. They had been shot and stabbed, and one of the female victims was also raped. Read more:
The disturbing incident happened on the night of Tuesday, 21 April 2026, but the bodies were only discovered on the morning of Thursday, 23 April 2026, after suspects led police to the area.
According to eNCA’s Dasen Thathiah, suspects broke into the home on Tuesday night, holding up the family and robbing them. They then tied them up and piled them into a vehicle belonging to the family before driving to Melmoth, where they killed them. Police confirmed that one of the victims was raped at the family’s home and again at Melmoth before she was killed. Suspects led police to the scene Detailing how the suspects were arrested, Phumlani Vezi from IPSS Security explained that authorities were made aware of the incident when the maid reported for work on Wednesday, 22 April 2026. After noticing that the home had been broken into, she contacted the police. Newark police, working together with IPSS Security, began investigating the matter and soon were able to arrest the first suspect. He, in turn, provided more information, which led to the arrest of two others. The suspects then confessed to the murders and rapes. Vezi also confirmed that two of the men previously worked for the family and that they stole R3,000 from the victims.
Police recovered two cellphones that belonged to the victims and a firearm belonging to the suspects. Victims of brutal murders identified After news broke of the tragedy, The POST released the names of the seven victims. The POST reported that the victims are Allen Monswamy (52), his wife Sandy (57), their son Kraidon (26) and their daughter Shamaria (20). Their relatives, Gonosagren Padayachee (51), Mooniamma Padayachee (78) and Mariama Happanah (83) were the other three victims
The suspects will appear in the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 24 April 2026. They are 21, 26 and 28. The photos of Gonosagren Padayachee and Mooniamma Padayachee alongside a photo of Mooniamma and Mariama Happanah. Image: