A Dullstroom man accused of killing his wife says he remembers seeing a red dot and everything going black before he found himself standing over his wife's body.

Johan Riekert testified in detail in the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday on the minutes before, and after, the fatal shooting of his wife in March last year.

He insisted he could not remember firing any shots. He said he had pleaded with his wife to take him back after she kicked him out of the house.

He claimed his wife became aggressive "when she had her period" and had on several occasions threatened him with a firearm because of his suspected affair with another woman.

Riekert said he had gone to the trout shop where his wife worked on the day of the killing to discuss a proposed divorce.

He had his firearm in his pocket, but could not understand why she suddenly became afraid and started screaming for help.

He claimed he was holding out the firearm so that she could take it when she suddenly grabbed it and started pulling.

He realised the firearm was pointing at her and wanted to push it past her, but she made a grab for it.

At one stage, she stepped back and held her nose. He saw she was bleeding and went to her to help and console her.

The next thing he could remember was seeing a red dot and then everything went black. When he came to, he found himself standing over his wife with a pistol aimed at her.

Blood was spurting out of his own chest and his wife was gasping. He walked towards her to help her, but the gasping stopped and he realised she was dead and he could do nothing for her.

Riekert claimed he realised he was also about to die and drove away from the scene because he did not want to die there.

The trial continues.

Sapa