Child dies after Limpopo man allegedly sets house alight with 6 family members inside

The police in Malamulele, Limpopo, have launched a manhunt for a suspect who allegedly set a house alight, with two women and four children inside.

According to Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the incident took place at Plange village in Mtiti, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The 29-year-old man on Saturday reportedly visited his 23-year-old ex-girlfriend who was at home with her two children aged 2 months and 2 years, her cousin and her two children aged 6 days and 3 years.

The two started arguing and the man reportedly left after the heated altercation.

“In the early hours of the following morning (Sunday) at about 01:00, an unknown suspect broke the window and sprinkled a flammable liquid substance believed to be a petrol inside the house through the window and then set the house on fire,” said Colonel Ledwaba.

“The suspect then fled the scene. The victims screamed for help and they were eventually rescued by community members.”

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Police and emergency rescue services were summoned and the victims were transported to hospital in a critical condition.

The three-year-old child later succumbed to her injuries.

Police have since opened a case of arson, five counts of attempted murder and one count of murder.

The motive for the incident is not yet known but domestic violence cannot be ruled out.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has appealed to community members with information that can lead to the apprehension of the suspect to come forward.

Limpopo vigilante incident

In a separate incident on Sunday, police in Giyani arrested four male suspects following the death of a 22-year-old man in what appears to have been triggered by vigilante-related incident in Nkomo village. 

According to Colonel Ledwaba, on Wednesday 07 December 2022, a 22-year-old man was attacked  by a group of people at a Tavern for allegedly stealing their clothes and cell phones.

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“The Police in Giyani after a thorough probe into the matter, on Sunday 11 December 2022 succeeded in following the information received from the community which led to the arrest of the four male suspects aged between 20 and 31 years for murder,” said Colonel Ledwaba.

The suspects are expected to appear before Giyani Magistrate’s Court soon facing charges of murder.