Dispute ends in fire, deaths

A DOMESTIC dispute during which a boyfriend allegedly locked his girlfriend in a paraffin doused shack and set it alight is suspected to be behind the death of three people in Clanwilliam.

Lydia Maluleki, 24, and an unidentified person, were burnt alive when Maluleki’s, boyfriend, known only by residents as “Lucas”, allegedly set their shack alight at the “Khayelitsha” informal settlement at the weekend.

Lucas was also killed in the fire.

Maluleki’s sister, Lulama Lithuli, lived with the couple, and said they had fought about money early on Saturday.

When she left for what was supposed to be a short while away, Lithuli said she thought they had resolved their dispute.

But a few minutes later, at about 4am, neighbours phoned Lithuli and told her that her sister, a mother of two, was being murdered.

A third body was discovered in the shack when officials were at the scene.

“Her boyfriend locked the house and used paraffin (to set it alight). There was no way we could have stopped it, because the fire started at the door… I cannot believe this has happened, because I was with these people minutes before they died. It’s difficult to accept it… The third person was discovered when residents were cleaning the area after the fire. It was our neighbour. I am currently housed at the community hall because all my belongings were destroyed,” Lithuli said.

About 40 more shacks were destroyed as a result and 250 people were left destitute.

Disaster management officer Jevon Kotze said people had slept in a city hall and were offered emergency housing kits yesterday to rebuild.

Those who are unable to rebuild shacks for a while will continue to use the hall, Kotze said.

Affected residents were also given food parcels.

There are about 2 000 people living in the settlement, many of whom are seasonal farmworkers on nearby fruit farms.

Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said an inquest docket had been opened.