DURBAN - KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli is calling for a harsh sentence against three suspects accused of murdering seven members of the Monswamy family in Newark.
Ntuli was speaking outside the KwaDukuza magistrate’s court on Tuesday, where the suspects were expected to appear.
He said he was concerned about the young ages of the suspects.
The premier added that initiatives are underway in the province to help deter young people from turning to crime.
Community members protested outside the court, calling for justice for the slain Monswamy family.
The victims, aged between 20 and 80, were found dumped in a field in Melmoth.
They included four women and three men.
Police said the family members had been shot and stabbed. Three suspects were arrested in connection with the murders, while one suspect remains at large.
Two of the suspects were previously employed by the victims. Two cellphones belonging to the family were allegedly found in their possession.
Police have also recovered a firearm believed to have been used in the crime.
Police were initially alerted to a house robbery at the Monswamy home on Tuesday night.
On Wednesday, a kidnapping case was opened after a domestic worker arrived at the house and found no one there.
The youngest victim, a 20-year-old woman, was allegedly sexually assaulted during the attack.
Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner Anthony Gopaul said a stolen Ford Ranger was also recovered.
According to Gopaul, the suspects had allegedly given the vehicle to someone to sell. However, that person reportedly abandoned it.
The family was laid to rest over the weekend, where Ntuli vowed police would not rest until justice had been served.
The motive for the attack is still under investigation.