A three-year-old baby boy died after drinking poisoned emahewu, while his brother (8) and mother (27) are in hospital.
The three drank a litre of fermented maize drink known as emahewu, which was left by a woman who posed as a patient at their parental home in Siphocosini.
Mandla Dlamini, who is a healer, said a woman arrived at his home on Thursday and requested his services just like ordinary patients would do.
He said he welcomed the woman and allowed her to consult.
“She complained about pain in the lower back just around the waist. As we spoke, she revealed that she had not brought money with her,” he said.
Dlamini said the woman, who was unknown to him before Thursday’s meeting, requested to leave so that she could fetch the money from a certain place she did not mention.
“Before she left, she offered me a 1-litre container with emahewu and said I should drink. I turned down the offer because I was not in a position to take them, but the woman insisted that I take just a little,” he said.
He said he reluctantly accepted the offer as he was considering giving it to his grandchildren.
Nontethelelo, the mother of the two victim children, said her father gave them emahewu, which they drank instantly.
“Within 30 minutes, I got numb and felt dizzy. My whole body started swelling and immediately I had a blurred vision,” she said.
Speaking from her hospital bed at the Mbabane Government Hospital yesterday, Nontethelelo said she also realised that her children were sick.
She said she was not aware who could be behind this and what the motive could be.
“I am only aware that the poison was intended for my father because the said woman had asked him to drink,” she said.
When asked about any suspicions, Dlamini was quick to mention the family he believes was in collusion with the woman.
He even elaborated on the reasons why they were at loggerheads with the family along with other details that cannot be mentioned due to ethical reasons.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer (PICO) Senior Superintendent Phindile Zwane confirmed two of the three who were poisoned were still in hospital.
She said the police already had a lead on the person who left the emahewu.
“We are actively investigating the matter and we have identified a woman of interest,” she said.
The police have since flighted a notice with a picture of 52-year-old Gcebile Gama whom they are looking for in relation to murder and attempted murder.
The police have revealed that Gama is from Pigg’s Peak or Bahai in Mbabane.
“She has been identified as the suspect in a case whereby a 27-year-old woman of Siphocosini and her two sons (3 and 8 years) ingested poisoned emahewu leading to the death of the 3-year-old,” the police said.
They have requested anyone who might know of her whereabouts or any information that could lead to her arrest to contact them.
Recent poisoning incidents
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July 2026 at KaMartin: A 24-year-old fed a poisonous substance to her two sons aged two and one following a domestic dispute with the father of the younger child, before ingesting the poison herself. All three were rushed to the hospital but were certified dead on arrival.
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December 2023: Two men aged 67 and 41 died after drinking poisoned traditional brew at a drinking spot in Mhobodleni, Manzini.
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December 2023 at Matsetsa: A woman, Xolile Nkomo (33), allegedly laced a family meal with poison, which was subsequently consumed by four individuals, including her husband, mother-in-law and two minors.
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September 2020 at Mvutjini: A 29-year-old woman allegedly murdered her one-year-old twins by feeding them food laced with agricultural weevil tablets.
