The once peaceful little village of Makuya–Domboni, south of Tshikondeni Mine, is still reeling with shock after a horrible fire burnt a granny and her grandson to ashes.

Ms Sundani Munyai (70) and her grandson Thatheni (12) were asleep in their mud-thatched hut when it was torched on Thursday night, last week. Sundani’s other four grandchildren, who were sleeping in another thatched mud hut, were lucky to survive because it was not torched. Makuya police have detained a suspect, who is a next-door neighbour of the victims, for questioning. Vhembe police spokesperson, Supt. Ailwei Mushavhanamadi has confirmed the incident.

“We have registered two counts of murder and one of arson, following the incident. We are definitely going to make a breakthrough in due course.”

The unfriendly atmosphere and the smell of death kept the spirits of family members low when Mirror visited them on Friday morning. Muditambi Mudzanani (73), the elder sister of the deceased granny, said: “We are shocked, devastated and powerless. My younger sister and her grandson died a painful death because of the cruelty of people who do not have respect for human life.”

Muditambi said a young girl heard some footsteps in the middle of Thursday night. “She alerted us and when we woke up, we realized that the hut was on fire. We again heard some footsteps of a person who was running away from the scene.”

Muditambi said community members and the police tried to put down the fire but it was very fierce. “They tried to use buckets of water but the water seemed to give more power to the fire. Everything was burnt to ashes and my relatives were burnt beyond recognition. There was nothing we could do because the fire was untouchable.”

She added that her deceased younger sister used to tell the family that there were people who were after her blood. “She used to tell the family that she could die at any time, because there were people who were threatening to burn her while she was asleep. The deed has finally happened and we are waiting for the law to take its course.”

Another family member, Ndanduleni Mapasa (21), said the arsonist gained entrance through a hole in a fence. “It is obviously somebody who knows the place very well. The old lady had just received her old-age grant the previous day and she had not yet used it. The perpetrator will obviously pay for his horrible actions.”

The shocked village headman, Tshililelwa Nephawe, said: “This is the first cruel incident of its kind in my village. We are definitely shocked and we request community members to come up with more evidence because whoever did this deserves to rot in jail. We send our deepest sympathy to the family.”

The mayor of Mutale Municipality, Cllr Lucas Manyuha, and a delegation visited the family on Sunday to extend their condolences to the family.

* The police made a breakthrough in the case and the following report by Wilson Dzebu was received shortly before going to press.

Three suspects from the same family appeared at the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court in connection with the brutal murder in which a granny, Sundani Munyai (70), and her grandson, Thatheni (12), were burnt to death at Hamakuya-Domboni last week.

Vhembe Police Spokesperson Ailwei Mushavhanamdi confirmed the arrests: “We have made a huge breakthrough and arrested three suspects aged between 21 and 41 at the weekend. Through the cooperation of community members, we followed the leads until we tracked them down.”

Sarah Ramashia (41), Ndivhuwo Mudau (36) and Dakalo Mudau (21) were denied bail at the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Their case was postponed to October 4.