Man and nephew die after allegedly eating biscuits

Mpumalanga police have opened two inquest cases for investigation after a 43-year-old man and his four-year-old nephew allegedly died after eating biscuits taken from a local spaza shop on Wednesday.

According to the police, after hearing that there was looting of tuck shops belonging to foreign nationals in the area, the tuck shop owner, who is a foreign national, had allegedly arranged with the landlord to store his stock in the main house.

The landlord allegedly consumed some of the biscuits and shared them with his nephew.

Police spokesperson Col Mavela Masondo said shortly afterwards, both of them started feeling dizzy and vomiting.

“They were taken to a local medical facility where they were certified dead on arrival,” he said.

Masondo said the source of the biscuits and the cause of death will be determined through post-mortem examinations.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, four suspects, three males and a female, aged between 22 and 52, were arrested on Thursday in connection with the looting of spaza shops in Witbank.

Masondo said the suspects were found in possession of items believed to have been taken during the looting that occurred on the evening of Wednesday.

Police have also opened a case of murder for investigation after a 19-year-old man was allegedly shot and killed in Siyanqoba, Witbank, on the same night during an alleged looting.

This is after a group of community members were allegedly looting a spaza shop owned by a foreign national when a sedan vehicle was seen driving past the scene. The occupants of the vehicle allegedly fired shots randomly into the crowd.

Masondo said police responded to the scene and on arrival found a man with a gunshot wound. He was certified dead at the scene.

“The police in Witbank, supported by other law enforcement agencies, conducted operations targeting suspects involved in the murder and the looting of spaza shops. Four suspects were arrested and charged with possession of suspected stolen property,” he said.

He confirmed that the search for other suspects is ongoing.

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