A member of the Gauteng crime prevention wardens (AmaPanyaza) is set to address the court on Monday on why she should be granted bail after being arrested for allegedly burning her husband to death with four pots of boiling water.
Catherine Machete, 37, is facing a murder charge after she scalded her husband, Mokhwakhwa Machete, 39, with boiling water on the afternoon of September 18 in their home in Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria.
Mokhwakhwa succumbed to the injuries in hospital on September 25.
Machete is scheduled to make her bail representations on Monday at the Pretoria North magistrate’s court.
Couple had four children
Mokhwakhwa and Machete were married with four children. He worked at the Gauteng department of community safety in the provincial Gender-Based Violence, Femicide (GBVF) coordination unit.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo confirmed the matter. He said police a case of murder has been opened at the Akasia Police Station.
Masondo said the suspect (Machete) was arrested and charged with murder.
“The suspect allegedly poured the deceased with boiling water. The motive for the killing cannot be confirmed,” said Masondo.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana also gave details. She said the matter will resume at the Pretoria North magistrate’s court on Monday for bail arguments. The suspect (Machete) is still in police custody.
Some of the couple’s kids witnessed the incident
According to a source at the department, some of the couple’s children witnessed the incident. They witnessed as Machete allegedly poured Mokhwakhwa with boiling water.
The source, who cannot be named because he is not allowed to speak to the media, gave more details. He said Mokhwakhwa arrived home from work on September 18. when he opened the door, and was greeted by a pot of boiling water in his face.
“He fell straight to the floor after she poured him with boiling water. This is what the children told us. While he was on the floor, she poured him with three more pots of boiling water,” said the source.
The source said Mokhwakhwa managed to escape, leave the house, and drove himself to hospital.
Victim drove himself to hospital, motive for the killing unknown
“When he arrived at the hospital, he told the nurses on duty that ‘I almost died. My wife burned me with boiling water’,” said the source.
The source said Mokhwakhwa was taken to the intensive care unit (ICU). There he was placed until his death on September 25. He was buried in Tzaneen, Limpopo, on October 5.
“We do not know why she poured him with boiling water. Only the wife knows. The man is dead. He cannot speak on the motive behind the attack,” said the source.
The source said the four children now live with their aunt in Akasia, Pretoria.
The source said Machete was dismissed from the Gauteng crime prevention wardens after her arrest.
