Limpopo police have opened a murder case and inquest into the suspected murder-suicide of Polokwane’s Dr Mainfred Mphikeleli Shikwambana and his wife, Dr Tshimangadzo Muofhe, who were found dead at their home on Monday.
TimesLIVE reports that Shikwambana was a clinical manager at the Donald Fraser Hospital while Muofhe worked in the obstetrics and gynaecology department at Pietersburg Hospital.
“Preliminary police investigations revealed that the couple had a fight earlier in the day and in the afternoon the woman was allegedly shot dead by her husband who then turned the gun on himself,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba said the couple's deaths were a blow to the medical fraternity.
“We are devastated. Losing such hardworking, dedicated and promising young people is a blow for us as a department.
“Dr Shikwambana, before his permanent appointment, served for two years as an acting clinical manager at Donald Fraser, where he managed to turn the hospital around from leading in maternal deaths in the Vhembe district to recording zero, and continued sustaining his excellent performance in clinical governance. We handed him the responsibility to act as overall head of the institution at the beginning of this month.
“His wife was totally dedicated and committed to protecting pregnant women and their unborn children.”
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