The community of Ha-Mafa Mahloenyeng woke up to the devastating news of a woman in her 40s who was killed together with her two sons before her rondavel was torched.

Neighbours said that around 12 midnight they saw a big fire light only to find that the Majeoa house was burning saying upon their arrival they found three bodies in the house which they took outside before the burning thatched roofing collapsed.

They said that after taking the bodies outside, they discovered that they were covered in blood and had gunshot wounds.

Speaking in an interview, Ha-Mafa  Chieftainess 'Mampoi Lehloenya said that she got a call around 12 midnight that the Majeoa house was on fire saying she sent someone to the said house.

She said she has been informed that the 47-year-old 'Mathato and her two sons aged 12 and six had been shot.

She explained that this is the second incident in this area but said it is difficult to associate this to the Famo groups (likobo) or illegal miners (litotoma) because the husband of the deceased works as security guard in Maseru.

She said that she is saddened that the innocent woman and her children were brutally killed.

Moreover, Mahloenyeng Area Chief, Chieftainess 'Mants'epase Lehloenya said that she is speechless saying that this incident brings the number of people shot in Mahloenyeng to 51 since 2017.

She said that the most painful issue about these killings is that only young people are being killed saying that Mahloenyeng will have only elderly people.

On the other hand the devastated Mr. Taelo Majeoa, husband and father to the deceased said that he does not know where to start saying this is a very painful incident where he lost three family members all at once.

Furthermore the Principal Chief of Matsieng Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso paid homage to the Majeoa family.

Meanwhile preliminary reports indicate that the woman did not only sustain gunshot wounds but had stab wounds of sharp object on the chest.

Operation Fiela members comprising of Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), Special Operations Unit (SOU) and National Security Service (NSS) were also present.

The Operation has also organized a public gathering scheduled for Friday this week at Mahloenyeng Moreneng.