Man on the run after killing mother-in-law, 77, and kidnapping his own son

Police in South Africa have launched a manhunt operation for a suspect who hacked his 77-year-old mother-in-law to death before kidnapping his own son.

Mthandazo Joseph Baskete broke into the house where his 32-year-old estranged girlfriend was staying with her mother and their five-year-old son.

Confirming the incident, Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said that the suspect attacked the victims using a panga before kidnapping his own son.

"The suspect then forced their five-year-old child into the vehicle belonging to his ex-girlfriend and drove away," said Ledwaba.

However, the suspect dumped the vehicle a few kilometers away from the scene of the incident before taking his son to his father's homestead.

The two women were then rushed to nearby medical facility but the granny later succumbed to the injuries sustained.

Police say that manhunt operation is underway to arrest the man who shall face charges of murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and theft of a motor vehicle.