MAN BURNS WIFE, DAUGHTER TO DEATH

PIGG’S PEAK – Yet another crime of passion has rocked Pigg’s Peak, barely two weeks after victims of a similar incident were laid to rest.
About three weeks ago, the country woke up to shocking news that a man, stabbed his wife then poisoned his two children.

On Wednesday night this week, a man allegedly burnt his wife and daughter to death.
Makhosazana Khosi Maziya (38) and her daughter, Mimi aged 13, died a painful death inside a stick and mud hut they had been sleeping in when the allegedly jilted husband, Nhlanhla Ngobeni, set it alight after dousing it with petrol.

Driver

Khosi was employed at the Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital under the Voluntary Counselling Testing (VCT) section, while her husband was once employed as a kombi driver.

However, he had not been working lately, for about three weeks.
The girl, who was identified as Mimi, was a pupil at Ekuthuleni Primary School near a place known as Power.
It is believed that Khosi was no longer interested in Ngobeni, whom she accused of not being there for the family.

Ngobeni was also recently wanted by the police for escaping from their custody after he was arrested for theft.
The gruesome incident happened at a settlement known as Macembeni, where most of the houses are made out of stick and mud.
Macembeni is about a kilometre away from the town centre. Ngobeni did not immediately flee after setting the house alight, but allegedly waited outside while his wife and daughter screamed for help, according to neighbours.

Ngobeni is alleged to have first locked the door from outside prior to setting the house alight.
It is believed that the suspect is said to have purchased petrol from one of the filling stations in the town centre. He then boarded a vehicle, which normally transport night staff from the Lomati Mine, to where his wife and the minor resided.

Petrol

Some people claimed to have seen Ngobeni carrying petrol but did not bother to ask him what it was for, as he was known as a kombi driver.
While in the same vehicle, Ngobeni realised that he did not have a box of matches and asked one of the passengers to give him some.
He was given some sticks as well as a scratch from the match box.

He then proceeded to Khosi’s place of abode where an argument ensued.
It is believed that Khosi locked the door, thinking that Ngobeni would leave.

However, suspicions are that he also used a chain to lock the door from outside, doused the house with petrol and then set it alight.
Khosi’s body was found charred while the 13-year-old girl was found under a spring bed where he possibly tried to hide from the flames.

Musa Msibi, a community police officer who was among those who tried to put out the fire, said the incident had left the community shocked.
Msibi said that they could hear people screaming, inyandzaleyo meaning ‘please help!’ but they thought it was the usual imbibers who were returning from a drinking spot and were making noise.

He said it was only when the screams persisted that the residents got out of their houses but were shocked to find Khosi’s house in flames.
Ngobeni was still around at the time and not assisting in any way but allegedly stood watching. Msibi further revealed that it appeared Ngobeni had purchased a brand new chain which he used to ensure that his wife and child were locked inside the room from outside.

“This made it impossible for them to escape or anyone of us to assist,” said Msibi. Judging from their screams, Msibi believes Khosi and the daughter were awake when the house was set alight.

Ngobeni is alleged to have waited until his wife and the daughter were no longer screaming.  It is alleged that while he was still outside, a gas cylinder exploded and by this time, residents had already gathered trying to put out the fire. 

As more people came to assist, Ngobeni fled but not before going to one of the residents whom he informed that he had ‘completed his mission’. 
There are suspicions that he may have attempted to end his life after he was seen running away with a cable.

Family

Robert Maziya, Khosi’s father, politely said the family was not ready to talk about the matter currently.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the murders.
She also said the suspect was still on the run and that no arrests had been made yet.

She said he was wanted by the police.
This publication can also confirm from public court records that Ngobeni had previously been arrested for the abduction of an underage girl.
In fact, it was his wife who paid his bail after which he was released.

Ngobeni was also recently wanted for theft of money from a Quantum.
He was arrested but escaped from police custody after a scuffle with one of the police officers. Even though he was often seen around the area, he was ‘officially’ a wanted man.

Meanwhile, residents of Macembeni where the gruesome incident happened, had also threatened to evict a woman whom they alleged was the suspect’s new girlfriend.
This is said to have happened yesterday at around 5pm but police are said to have intervened. .

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