A Mpumalanga woman, charged with the murder of her four children, has abandoned her bid for bail, opting to have her mental condition evaluated instead.

"[Zinhle Maditla] abandoned her bail application this morning (Monday) and she brought an application to be sent for mental observation," National Prosecuting Authority provincial spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said.

"The [Emalahleni Magistrate's Court] made an order for the accused to be taken for mental observation."

The 24-year-old mother, who faces four counts of murder, allegedly attempted to take her own life and she has since been discharged from hospital.

Maditla's family reportedly discovered the bodies of four children – aged 11 months to eight years – wrapped in blankets inside their home after Maditla allegedly told them to check the house.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said that everything "seemed well" when Maditla, the two girls and two boys were last seen on December 26.

But days later on December 30, the mother turned herself in at the Vosman police station.

The case has been postponed to February 14.