Five burned alive in house fire – Ndwedwe

Four children and a man were burnt to death in a house fire at Mthebeni in Ndwedwe on Sunday, a week after an elderly woman was attacked and burnt alive in her home.

KwaZulu-Natal Saps spokesperson Thembeka Mbele said the cause of fire was unknown and Ndwedwe police were investigating.

Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) spokesperson Prem Balram said neighbours had tried to save the residents by breaking windows and attempting to remove burglar bars but the fire was too intense.

He said a tuck shop was being run from the home and paraffin, diesel and petrol were being sold.

“The Ethekwini fire department arrived and firemen battled the blaze.

“Once contained, hydraulic tools were used to pry open a solid security gate before firemen entered the home and recovered the bodies of the man and children aged between 13 and 16.

“All the bodies were recovered in the same room,” said Balram.

Ndwedwe mayor Nkosinathi Chili said the man was believed to be a foreign national and the four children are from the Mfeka family.

“We feel pained by this incident and we commit to assisting where possible as well as roping in other government wings to join us in supporting the families of the victims,” said Chili.

Mayor Chili also expressed condolences to the Gumbi family in the same area where an elderly woman was allegedly attacked inside her house last week and burnt to death.

“It worries us when fire is used to attack the vulnerable segments of our society such as women.

“We are appalled that some people among us would resort to such cruel tactics to eliminate a woman.

“We wish the family comfort and strength during this time and we are working on dispensing assistance as well.”