Woman's ex-lover sets fire to her house after she ended their relationship, kills 7 members of her family
Thursday, 17 March 2016
Heartbreaking scenes unfolded in Koster, the North West farming town of Reagile, South Africa as the coffins of Mojaki Elizabeth Mwale, 74, Christina Sepinki Mwale, 36, Abram Mwale 15, Samantha Mwale, 12, Refilwe Mwale 10, Ofentse Mwale 8 and Precious Mwale, 3, were lowered into their graves in a mass funeral on Tuesday, March 15.
The seven victims were burnt to death when the jilted lover poured
petrol in the shack which his ex shared with other members of her family
and set it on fire on Monday, March 8. The 49-year-old suspect who is
in police custody committed the heinous act after his girlfriend, Mammy
Mwale, the mother of three of the victims, ended their relationship.
A family member Emily Mwale and an eyewitness said the man burst into
the house with a bottle full of petrol and started pouring them on her
and Mammy Mwale.
"They began to fight, Mammy pushed him outside but he overpowered her.
He then ran into the house and poured petrol all over, got out and ran
away, and before we could think we saw a blazing fire," said Emily
amidst tears.
Neighbours and residents said the couple's relationship had been rocky
for the past year, and that the suspect had made threats that he would
kill her. The man's mother condemned the wicked act and said the law
must punish him.
"He has done a horrible thing, he loved Mammy too much. I do not like
what he has done, he told me that he was going to kill everyone in that
family. I want the law to punish him"
The North West police department spokesman, Leonard Hlathi who
confirmed the tragic incident said the suspect has been charged with
seven counts of murder, as well as arson.
Mourners sat under a giant white tent singing hymns. African National
Congress (ANC) Women League members dressed in their signature green and
black uniform held flowers while looking at the seven coffins lined up
in front of them.
Family spokesman Jackie Segakweng said the family was still in shock by the death of the seven family members.
"It is a shock to us. This is a technical knock-out. It is a whitewash…" he said.
Segakweng said he hoped the government would take drastic action to
prevent further such deaths. "We cannot afford to see these deaths day
and night."
Lerato Mekgwe, circuit manager in Kgetleng, told mourners that women
must break the silence of abuse. Mekgwe said she was once in an abusive
relationship and left only after her husband shot and wounded her.
"The signs were there but, I ignored them, I was blinded by love. When
my children told me my husband does not love them, I ignored them until
he shot me. I took a decision that I am not staying in this
relationship. I got out of the relationship. Today I am a cripple
because of the abusive relationship."
Kgetlengrivier municipality mayor Kim Medupe called on residents to be calm and allow the law to take its course.
"We are not going to judge until the justice system runs its course," she said.
She described the murders as brutal and senseless. She told mourners a
house would be built for the remaining members of the family.
The chairman of Kgalagatsane Primary School governing body, Dikgang
Mokgosi, said they were shocked by the murders. He appealed to young
women not to remain in relationships where they were being abused.
"The person who did this will be judged and punished. Make sure you fall
in love with the right person, who will not kill you." he said.
Mourners battled to hide their emotions as they sang religious songs.
Family members and some of the mourners sobbed when Kgalagatsane Primary
School choir sang a hymn to bid farewell to four of their former school
mates.
Abram, Ofentse and Refilwe were Mammy's children. Samantha and Precious
were her sister's daughter. Grandmother Elizabeth Mwale together with
her daughter Christina also died in the fire.
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