A 43-year-old suspect is in police custody in Libode for murder and attempted murder after he allegedly gave small children poisoned sweets.
Spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana says four children between the ages of four and eight were given the sweets and two of the children died shortly after the incident.
He says three of the kids were in the care of their neighbours at the Renny Locality, as their mother had left for Cape Town.
It is alleged their father arrived at the neighbour's homestead on Friday where he gave the kids chocolate sweets which are suspected to have been poisoned with aluminium phosphide (tank pill).
Brigadier Kinana says all the children had to be rushed to hospital as they immediately got sick.
He says according to the police report one of the boys died on the way to hospital whilst the other one died whilst receiving medical attention.
The five-year-old who is reported to be the neighbour’s child was discharged in a stable condition, whilst a third boy is still in hospital in a serious condition.
Kinana says a preliminary investigation suggests that the children's parent were not on good terms, however, the investigation into the motive is still underway.
The father will appear in the Libode Magistrates' Court on Monday.
