THEY DIED IN FRONT OF ME
YOU South Africa|16 June 2022
The mother of three brothers allegedly poisoned by their father is battling to come to terms with their deaths
LESEGO SEOKWANG
THEY DIED IN FRONT OF ME

A WHITE tent has been erected outside the family home ahead of the mass funeral. Inside, the lounge is deserted because all the women are in a bedroom praying for Ntswaki Khoabane.

But it's little comfort for the grieving she's mother sitting on the mattress overcome with emotion and buries her head in her hands.

Ntswaki's life has been torn apart after three of her five sons died, allegedly at the hands of her husband.

Veli Ngcongwane, the boys' father, allegedly poisoned Lehlohonolo and Katleho Khoabane, and Teboho Ngcongwane while they were preparing for school. Their brother, Neo Khoabane (11), was fighting for his life at the time of going to print - but his three brothers didn't make it. Lehlohonolo (16) and Katleho (13) died at school and Teboho at a nearby clinic.

A devastated Ntswaki is left trying to pick up the pieces and stay strong for Thato (8), the only one of her children who didn't drink the concoction Veli allegedly gave the boys.

She works at the school Lehlohonolo and Katleho attended and watched helplessly as her boys took their last breaths.

It's clear the past few days have taken a toll on the 33-year-old.

"I don't even know how I feel,' Ntswaki tells YOU, speaking from her home in Ratanda township in Heidelberg, Gauteng. "It's like a terrible dream."

Veli (40) tried to take his life after his sons' deaths. He's now facing charges of murder and attempted murder while Ntswaki battles to make sense of it all.

She's known her husband for 17 years and there was no sign he would do something like this, she says. The couple were thinking of legally changing the four elder children's last names to Ngcongwane since they were born before they were married. They never got around to it before the unthinkable happened.

Denne historien er fra 16 June 2022-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra 16 June 2022-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA YOU SOUTH AFRICASe alt
BALLON IN THE BAG
YOU South Africa

BALLON IN THE BAG

Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
IT WAS ALL A LIE
YOU South Africa

IT WAS ALL A LIE

A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
YOU South Africa

'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'

After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country

time-read
10+ mins  |
14 November 2024
AGREE TO DISAGREE
YOU South Africa

AGREE TO DISAGREE

Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
PAUSE THE CLOCK
YOU South Africa

PAUSE THE CLOCK

Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
MPOOMY ON TOP
YOU South Africa

MPOOMY ON TOP

We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
YOU South Africa

MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME

Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MATT THE RECLUSE
YOU South Africa

MATT THE RECLUSE

A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
A LEAP OF FAITH
YOU South Africa

A LEAP OF FAITH

After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
YOU South Africa

THEY'RE MY KIDS!

This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024