The Ravele community is still reeling with shock after a disabled man, Ntshavheni Mukoki (31), died in a fire last Wednesday night.

Phineas Mukoki, uncle of the deceased, said that Ntshavheni was staying alone in his one-room house. He said community members and the police tried to put out 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 burnt to ashes," he said.

Phineas claimed that the man´s home had been set alight by an unknown arsonist who wanted him dead. He said the alleged arsonist gained entrance through a hole in the fence. “It is obviously somebody who knows the place very well. Ntshavheni had just received his disability grant the same day and he had not yet used it. The perpetrator will obviously pay for his horrible actions,” he said.

The chairperson of the local Civic, Mr Moses Mamphaga, said that this was the first cruel incident of its kind in Ravele village. "We are deeply shocked and we request community members to come forward with more evidence, because whoever did this deserves to rot in jail. We send our deepest sympathy to the family,” he said.

The mayor of Makhado municipality, Cllr Mavhungu Luruli, said the family should know that the municipality shared their grief. “We know it is painful to lose loved ones, but we would like the family to accept it as it is. This is not the time to point fingers, but for the family to be more united than ever. We will be with you and give you the necessary support wherever possible,” she said.

Tshilwavhusiku SAPS station commissioner Lt Col Freddy Shirinda confirmed the incident. “We have opened an inquest docket,” he said.

Ntshavheni will be buried tomorrow (Saturday) at Ravele cemetry. The ceremony will start at 06:00.