Couple die in fire

A shocking and gruesome incident happened at Tsianda-Tshiitwani village outside Levubu where a couple died in a fire last Thursday morning. Long-time sweethearts Ms Mulatedzi Mulaudzi (32) and Mr Tshifhiwa Netshituni (37) are believed to have been asleep when the fire broke out.

Residents from the area found it hard to accept that the couple had perished in the fire. The two people had been staying together in the shack for a very long time.

W/O Solly Mukhola, the spokesperson for the Levubu police, confirmed the incident. He said that the fire broke out shortly after 02:00. "We received a call that there was a shack burning and when we arrived at the scene, we found that there were two people who had burned (to death)," he said. He said that the investigation revealed that the two people who died in the fire were the couple. "The police have opened an inquest docket, following the incident," he added.

Mukhola said that the cause of fire was still not known, adding that the bodies of the two had been taken for forensic investigation. He also warned residents to refrain from pointing fingers and spreading rumours in the village about the incident. This comes after some residents alleged that the fire might have been started intentionally because the couple used to fight a lot. According to Mukhola, the police must be given time to investigate the incident and residents must not interfere.

"Those who know what might have happened must just furnish the police with information in this regard," appealed Mukhola.

Netshituni is originally from Vuvha in Nzhelele.

Date:12 December 2011

By: Peter Muthambi

Peter Muthambi graduated from the University of Venda with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Studies. He started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror as well as national papers in 2006. He loves investigative journalism and is also a very keen photographer.

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