Primary school teacher shot in front of pupils received 'death threats'

The primary school teacher who was killed in a classroom by her estranged husband had received death threats before she was gunned down in Mpumalanga.

Kate Chiloane‚ 30‚ was shot in front of her Grade 2 pupils by Vusi Mdluli‚ 40‚ at Sedibasathutho primary school near Bushbuckridge before he turned the gun on himself on Monday.

“He sent her a message saying that he is not going to die alone‚” the victim’s mother‚ Lindiwe Sambo‚ 52‚ told the Sowetan in a report published on Wednesday. The couple had separated and her son-in-law had a short temper‚ she added.

Mdluli’s mother Freda Mdluli‚ 71‚ said the couple had a blissful marriage until her son lost his job‚ an event that she believed had pushed him over the edge. “Everything was ruined. I also tried to convince her to go back to their home but she refused. This hurt him very much” she told the Sowetan.

On Sunday‚ a day before the murder and suicide‚ Vusi posted on Facebook: “I dnt want someone to come in my funeral n cry. I will f**k him up wen him come to heaven (sic).”

In a second post four hours later he said: “To go to sangoma every day is a wast of money coz your know Wt u dd wrong in u. Life. So your thnk him can protect u (sic).”

His final post that day was: “I'm.so broke I think to br my family a money wen I die so the can berry me (sic)..”

There were warning signs in a series of sometimes bizarre messages he posted on social media about betrayal‚ coffins and how he was being summoned to heaven.

The Mpumalanga Department of Education offered counselling services to shocked learners‚ educators and family members.