A police sergeant in Kokstad allegedly murdered his pregnant girlfriend, Busisiwe Ngubo, just a day before she was due to give birth to their triplets.

The motive: the sergeant believed that his salary wouldn't be enough to support the new additions to their family, according to sources from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).

The suspect reportedly told investigators that the burden of triplets was overwhelming due to his financial responsibilities towards five other children from a previous relationship.

"He stated that he begged his girlfriend to undergo an abortion, assuming at the time that she was carrying twins.

"To his surprise, the postmortem report revealed that she was carrying triplets," a source disclosed.

Ngubo's life was cut short by strangulation, with her body discovered last Monday.

Mandla Ngcobo, a family spokesperson, stated that Busisiwe received a call from the suspect and sent a voice note to her sister-in-law, indicating she had been taken by her boyfriend.

"On Monday her body was found lifeless along the road. It is a painful moment that we will never forget as a family, as we are going through this tragic period," said Ngcobo.

The suspect was reportedly arrested shortly after the incident and made his first appearance at the Ixopo Magistrate's Court.

He was remanded in custody pending a formal bail application scheduled for Friday.

KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla maNzimande Khoza commended the collaborative efforts of the public and law enforcement agencies in swiftly apprehending the suspect.