Justice was served for a family from Stockville in KZN who lost their child to a fire last year. Zwelinzima Goge was sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional 23 years for murder, attempted murder, assault and arson.

According to the Hillcrest Police Station communications officer Nokuphila Mchunu, on the evening of April 30, 2022, Goge was sitting outside of the complainant’s house when he came to park his car.

“Goge was intoxicated and began an argument with the complainant. He accused the complainant of intentionally shining his vehicle’s lights on him. The argument escalated, and the accused stabbed the complainant in his left shoulder. The complainant then left to go to the police station to report the matter, leaving his girlfriend and three children at home.

“On [the complainant’s] arrival at Hillcrest SAPS, the police suddenly received a complaint that the complainant’s home was set alight. The policemen immediately rushed to the complainant’s home and found the house on fire. The Fire Department and ambulance services were already standing off. The firemen were trying to extinguish the fire,” explains Mchunu.

Mchunu says that two of the complainant’s children, who were three and four years old at the time, were already in the ambulance getting immediate medical attention. However, the youngest of the three children, aged two years, unfortunately, could not be rescued and died.

“Goge was nowhere to be found, and messages were sent out into the community that the SAPS was looking for him and that he should hand himself in. On May 11, 2022, the accused came to Hillcrest SAPS and handed himself over. The detective in the matter, Sergeant Bongani Mbatha, arrested him and charged him with murder, attempted murder, assault GBH and arson,” adds Mchunu.

Hillcrest Station commander Colonel Zama Mabaso commended the detective for his commitment to ensure that the perpetrator was sentenced to life. “We cannot allow substance abuse to hurt our families and good citizens. We will not tolerate violence in our community. I hope this sends out a strong message to all perpetrators that they will be arrested and be [given] lengthy sentences behind bars,” he adds.