UMPHAKATSI, COP’S HOUSE TORCHED

SITEKI - A rondavel, other three houses and a car worth E30 000 (inset above) were petrol-bombed by unkown arsonists on Thursday night at Ntfutfwakazi Umphakatsi, under Chief Maja II. Also, a house belonging to a police officer based at Lubulini, was torched. (Inset below) The remains of a burnt curtain and the spared refrigerator inside a police officer’s house, which was also targeted by arsonists.

SITEKI – Two arson attacks in one night.

This is what happened in the Lubombo Region on Thursday night, as property belonging to Ntfutfwakazi Umphakatsi, under Maja II, was torched.

Also, property belonging to a police officer based at Lubulini was also reduced to ashes. In both incidents, the arsonists remain unknown.

At the umphakatsi, three houses and a car worth E30 000 were set alight while at the law enforcer’s home, his house was torched.

According to Ntfutfwakazi Chiefdom

Bucopho Bonginkosi Mabaso, restructuring homes raised the alarm after seeing a thick cloud of smoke and flames engulfing houses at the chiefdom.

Mabaso said a gogo centre was petrol-bombed and only a table and a record book were burnt, as they rarely kept anything inside. He said a hut within the

umphakatsi was also burnt.

The bucopho said the arsonists further went to petrol-bomb a three-bedroom house, where most of the furniture in the living room was extensively damaged.

Children

He said there was a woman and two children, aged five and nine, who were inside the house when the arsonists attacked.

He further mentioned that a Toyota Corolla sedan valued at E30 000 was also not sparred, as it was set alight, as well as a 5 000-litre water tank.

The bucopho also mentioned that the unknown arsonists further went on to petrol-bomb a house belonging to a police officer based at the Lubulini Police Station and damages worth E1 450 were incurred. He said the police from the Lubulini Police Station acted promptly and attended to both incidents. “We are still shocked as a community, because it was not only the umphakatsi that was targeted, but a police officer’s homestead as well. The police told us that they will investigate the incidents and give us feedback,” he said. The law enforcer confirmed the matter in an interview. “It is true that they torched my house and threw a flammable substance through a window. Only the window and the curtain were damaged as we were able to put out the flames on time,” he said. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that police were investigating the burning of the chiefdom and that of the police officer’s house.

“We had both matters reported to the police and investigations are ongoing,” she said.

Worth mentioning is that in the past week, Ngcina Umphakatsi was set on fire by unknown people amidst the ongoing chieftaincy dispute.

Meanwhile, just two months ago, a hut was set alight by unknown people at Mpolonjeni Umphakatsi on the outskirt of Siteki.

There was an attempt to burn another hut but a passerby disturbed the arsonists hence it was spared.

(Pics: Thokozani Mamba)

(Pics: Thokozani Mamba) The broken window panes after the petrol-bomb was thrown into the house belonging to Lubulini police Officer, Mbokodvo Mamba. (R) The remains of the burnt curtain and the sparred refrigerator inside the police officer’s house.

The hut that was burnt on Saturday at around 11pm at Ntfutfwakazi Umphakatsi, under Maja II, at Lubulini Inkhundla. (C) The damage caused inside the sitting room where a sofa and other items were burnt. (R) The broken window where the three-bedroom house was petrol-bombed at the umphakatsi.

This Toyota Corolla sedan worth E30 000 was also set alight by unknown arsonists at the Ntfutfwakazi Umphakatsi.

The petrol-bombed gogo centre within the umphakatsi premises.