Shock as fire kills family of three

Three people including a five-year-old child burned to death when the Mthatha house they were sleeping in caught fire yesterday.

Lindiwe Xola, 52, her son Abongile, 26, and granddaughter Amila, 5, died tragically as their government-sponsored prefabricated house in Sikhobeni Village outside Mthatha went up in flames.

Little Anathi, 11, who also lived there, had been spending the night with other relatives in another village at the time.

Anathi cried uncontrollably as she arrived home after the tragedy.

When the Daily Dispatch visited the home, which had one rondavel and a small shack, relatives and villagers were standing around in disbelief, trying to come to terms with tragedy.

Police said the cause of the fire was still unknown, but relatives think the three might have fallen asleep with a candle burning.

Family elder Mackson Xola, 74, said when villagers arrived shortly after 5am the three were already dead.

Initially, Xola said, relatives suspected that the three might have been killed by thugs who were trying to steal the lobola money recently paid for Lindiwe’s daughter.

“But we found the money so we think they might have been killed by a by candle because there was no electricity up until late on Tuesday.

“We are still shocked by this tragedy because we did not expect this at all.

“By the time we got here they were already dead and there was nothing we could do,” he said.

A neighbour, Nolindile Mabhongo, 76, saw the house burning and alerted other neighbours.

“We feel really bad about what happened.

“We have never seen such a tragedy.

“I saw Lindiwe and she was really happy that her daughter’s husband was here to pay lobola,” she said fighting back tears.

Another relative, Nophelo Bango, said they did not know how they would bury the three.

“We are in desperate need of assistance from the government or anyone.

“There is not even a single pot left because they were in the house that burnt down.

“Villagers have been really helpful,” she said.

Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said an inquest docket had been opened.

“Our investigation will tell us exactly what happened, so for now we would not like to speculate as to what caused the fire,” he said. — ndamasem@dispatch.co.za