A 44-year-old woman was among the eight people who died on Saturday night at Homu Block C outside Giyani when the house they were sleeping in was set on fire. Community members allege that the arsonist is her angry husband.

The incident has plunged the community in deep mourning and has also put the spotlight on the issue of family violence.

The deceased is Elizabeth Mathebula. She died along with her children, Mhanana (18), Mihloti (15), Nhluvuko (12), Vonani (7), and Masingita Nukeri (4). The children of her brother, Mr Thomas Mathebula, were sleeping in the same room and also burnt to death. They are Agreement Nukeri (11) and Given Mathebula (12).

According to her brother, who is the owner of the house she was sleeping in, the woman had been fighting with her husband who stayed with her at Mageva at the other side of Giyani. He said his sister stayed with them because her husband had allegedly abused her. She had apparently also decided to end the relationship. “She had sought a protection order, because she was abused,” Mr Mathebula alleged.

The fire broke out at about midnight on Saturday. According to Mr Mathebula, they heard screams and rushed to the house where his children and sister were staying.

The dead woman’s sister, Maria Mathebula, said her sister had been in an abusive relationship and she had reached a stage where she had decided to end the relationship. “She had gone to social workers where she complained about being stabbed. She told them that she had decided to end the relationship before he killed her,” she said.

On Sunday, the family was visited by people who included the Minister of Public Administration, Mr Richard Baloyi, and the Greater Giyani Municipality’s mayor, Ms Doris Mathebula.

The mayor was close to tears and said she was very sad. “It means we must step up our fight against family violence, especially against the abuse of women and children,” she said. Meanwhile police have launched a manhunt for Thomas Nukeri, Elizabeth´s husband and the father of her children.

According to police spokesperson Inspector Thomas Makhubele, the man had come to South Africa and settled in Mageva outside Giyanui illegally where he married Elizabeth, a South African. “We suspect he may have fled back to Mozambique,” said Insp Makhubele. “We are appealing to the community to help us arrest this man,” said Makhubele.

On receiving news about the devastating development, the MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison, Mr Ratshivhanda Ndou, visited the Nukeri family. During the visit, Ratshivhanda extended the government’s deepest condolences to the Nukeri family and assured them that the police will not rest until the suspect has been arrested and locked up.

The MEC also used the opportunity to urge the community to assist the police in their investigation by providing any information that could lead to the speedy arrest of the suspect.

“People who commit crimes of this nature have no place in our society. It takes a cold-blooded person to do something so inhumane,” he said.

Ratshivhanda said that, upon the arrest, the police will coordinate their work with other departments in the criminal justice system to ensure that the suspect is isolated from society for good. “When facing marital problems, people should seek professional marriage counselling rather than take their frustrations out on innocent children,” Ratshivhanda added.

Members of the community were also encouraged to play a more proactive role in identifying issues with a potential to turn into conflict.

“No matter how aggrieved a person may be about an issue, our position as government is that violence has no place in our society,” the MEC said.