Axe attack: Man seeks bail after arrest for the brutal murder of his children's mother

THE Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court has remanded 41-year-old Simanga Custen Kamanga after he was arrested for the brutal murder of a woman who is the mother of his children.

Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, said the horrific murder incident happened in Schoemansdal on Monday.

“The suspect has appeared in court on the Schoemansdal murder case, where Nhloniphile Ntombi Maseko, 31 years, was brutally murdered by the father of her children on Monday, 12 May 2025,” said Ndubane.

“Simanga Custen Kamanga, a 41-year-old, has appeared at the Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court, and his case was postponed to 20 May 2025 for a formal bail application. The suspect remains in custody.”

Previously, Ndubane said information received by police shows that the victim, Maseko, and the accused man were involved in a heated argument.

"It is alleged that the suspect attacked the victim with an axe, resulting in fatal injuries,” she said.

Preliminary police investigations revealed that the 41-year-old man and the 31-year-old woman were parents of two children.

“After the attack, the suspect allegedly left her lifeless body in the street,” said Ndubane.

“Police and other relevant stakeholders were summoned to the scene. A swift investigation led to the arrest of the suspect.”

The arrested man appeared before the Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court, formally known as the Tonga Magistrate Court, facing a charge of murder.

Meanwhile, acting provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, has condemned the “inhumane act”.

He urged members of the community to seek help when experiencing domestic or relationship problems rather than resorting to violence. 

Mkhwanazi emphasised that gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) remain a serious threat to the safety and well-being of women and children.