Durban: The KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, has expressed outrage after five people were killed in a house fire in Phoenix, following an alleged domestic dispute.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said Phoenix police responded to a reports of a fire at a flat in Kidstone Place in the early hours of Monday morning.
“When police arrived at the scene, they found that seven residents of the flat managed to escape whilst five perished in the fire.
“The deceased are aged between 37 and three years. Residents reported that there was a domestic altercation at the home prior to the fire.”
Naiker said Phoenix police arrested a 57-year-old man at the home of his relatives in the Phoenix area.
“He had serious burn wounds and was taken to a local hospital were he is being held under police guard.”
Police are investigating a case of arson and murder.
MEC Khoza said: “We are pained by this incident. The full horrific details of this crime is deeply concerning.
“This is the most horrific of crimes, but we recognise this incident as part of a much bigger challenge faced by many people, especially women and children in our communities.”
She said the fact that there was an alleged domestic altercation at the home before the fire was a clear indication of the extent of violence vulnerable groups suffered from, perpetrated by those who were supposed to protect them.
She urged people who felt in real and imminent danger to walk away from the situation and seek immediate support.
"Our communities should isolate people involved in gender-based violence and femicide incidents. We cannot pretend… it is normal to murder people like this. No one should be able to walk scot-free after killing people. We will be monitoring progress on this case, as we want to see the perpetrator rot in prison," she said.
Khoza applauded police for their swift response in bringing the alleged perpetrator to book.
“We are pleased that police quickly tracked down the man and ensured that he got arrested. We call on the justice sector to show no mercy to people like this who have no respect for human lives,” said MEC Khoza.
A team of social workers is set to visit the affected people to provide psychosocial support.
The MEC further instructed social workers to assist those people who might have lost their important documents in the fire.
IOL