LIMPOPO – The Kanana neighbourhood in Makhushane was recently shaken by a devastating fire that destroyed the home of a 40-year-old local woman leaving her and her three children homeless.

While the community rallied to provide support, the situation took a dramatic turn when the woman voiced suspicions that her estranged husband may have allegedly set the house on fire.

The fire broke out on Saturday, November 2, at around 21:00. Fortunately, no one was inside during the blaze. Malope was staying with her three children due to ongoing marital issues.

“On Friday, November 1, the father of my children was fixing a fence in my neighbourhood. He called me to come to the fence and asked me to collect my things from his house. I then went to his house to collect my things. However, he started to fight with me and produced a panga. A fight between us ensued. He started beating me and my son and neighbours tried to assist us,” she claimed.

“Later on, I went out to meet someone on the main road around 20:00. While waiting for the person, I received a call that my house was burning down. When I arrived, the whole house had already caught fire. Fortunately, no one was inside the house. Someone from the neighbourhood told me that they saw my estranged husband next to my house. I suspect that he wanted to the house to burn with us inside,” she continued.

The woman told the Herald that she opened a case against the man at the Namakgale Police Station. She further claimed that he was taken in for questioning and was released as there were no witnesses.

Meanwhile, the estranged husband denies all the allegations and any involvement in the burning of the house as well as being arrested. “I know nothing about any of the allegations. There is a protection order in place, and I am not allowed to go near her house. We only communicated for her to collect her things from my house. The protection order stipulates a list of the items,” he said.

The names of the persons involved are known to the Herald but are withheld.