Qacha’s Nek ___ As 2024 draws to a close, the residents of Mosaqane woke up to the grim news of a brutal murder of a 37-year-old man from Matebeleng.

The deceased reportedly succumbed to severe injuries inflicted with traditional sticks, leaving him with a fractured skull and an open wound on his mouth.

Speaking to the Agency on Tuesday, Qacha’s Nek Police Deputy Commanding Officer, Senior Inspector Mohalali Majara, revealed that preliminary investigations suggest the killing was an act of revenge.

The deceased is alleged to have killed the suspects’ brother in 2014.

The two suspects remain at large, and investigations are ongoing.

Senior Inspector Majara urged community members to refrain from taking the law into their own hands, emphasizing the devastating consequences of revenge killings.

“Let the courts handle justice. Acts of revenge only lead to further tragedy,” he pleaded.

Mosaqane Chief Ts’angoane Sehahle expressed deep concern over the incident, calling it “worrisome and saddening.” He noted that the last murder in the area occurred in May 2024, involving a 61-year-old man found dead in his bedroom.

This marks the third murder case recorded in Qacha’s Nek this week, following two other incidents on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Revenge killings, though rare in the district, remain a disturbing occurrence.