A 24-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing his elderly father to death following an argument at their home in Kamhlushwa outside Malelane, Mpumalanga.
According to police, the men lived in the same house.
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson, Captain Magonseni Nkosi, said preliminary investigation indicates that the victim and the suspect had an argument earlier during the day but was resolved at a later stage.
"The misunderstanding was resolved amicably by both parties.
Later, when the victim came back from church, the suspect called him inside the house. It is during this time that the suspect allegedly took a knife and stabbed his father multiple times," Nkosi said.
Nkosi said the 62-year-old man tried to escape the attack but he tripped and fell a few steps from the house. Nkosi said the son ran out of the house.
"People who saw the bleeding father raised an alarm, and the community members managed to apprehend the suspect and summoned the police," he said.
Emergency services, upon arrival at the scene, certified the father as deceased.
The suspect sustained stab wounds after allegedly stabbing himself several times.
The son is expected to appear on Tuesday in the Nkomazi Magistrate's Court on a charge of murder.
Last week, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) condemned violence towards the elderly.
It said despite legal protections, older persons face various challenges as a vulnerable group with unique and differing needs.
“It is distressing that older persons are experiencing abuse from individuals in their communities who should be providing support and protection,” the SAHRC said.
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