Delay in case of Witbank mom accused of killing her kids

The case against the 24-year-old woman from Klarinet in Witbank accused of killing her four children in December was postponed on Tuesday. 

Zinhle Maditla's court appearance was moved to April 4 in the Witbank Magistrate's Court as some of her psychiatric reports were still outstanding.

Maditla had been examined by several psychiatrists to establish her mental wellbeing following her implication in the gruesome murder of her children.

At a previous appearance, her lawyer Jabulani Maphethe called for the court to send her for mental observation, adding that she could not have been in her "right state of mind when the alleged offence was committed".

Maditla's children, aged between 11 months and eight years, were laid to rest in her absence in January, days after they were found dead from an apparent poisoning in December. 

The bodies of Ethan, Shaniqua, Blessing and Minenhle were found by relatives after Zinhle allegedly phoned to tell them she had left something for them at her home.

According to police, the children's corpses had already begun decomposing when they were found on December 30. 

All four had been wrapped in blankets.

It was alleged that the children had last been seen alive on December 26 but according to their funeral programme, they were believed to have died the following day.

Maditla handed herself over to police and was hospitalised shortly thereafter.

Police had said she seemed weak and drowsy at the time.