A man shot and killed his wife and then shot himself in the head after the couple argued in Kabokweni near Nelspruit on Saturday, Mpumalanga police said.

Captain Leonard Hlathi said the 39-year-old security guard and his wife were arguing. Neighbours heard gunshots and called the police.

"When police arrived they found the doors locked. They had to break the doors to enter," he said.

"When we came in with his brother, the suspect already shot himself but he was conscious and fired a shot, hitting his brother."

The police disarmed the man and he and his brother were taken to the hospital. His wife died on the scene. The 39-year-old was in intensive care.

The couple's four daughters, aged between five and fifteen, were present during the argument but left after it became too heated. They did not witness the shooting.

Police were investigating a case of murder, another of attempted and a third of attempted suicide.

Hlathi appealed to couples to go for counselling and avoid arguments "going to the extreme".

"If people argue, they must not go to the extreme and resort to killing each other, they must seek professional help," he said.

Sapa

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