“Burn him! Burn him like he burnt the children,” an angry woman screamed as enraged Atteridgeville community members shoved a tyre towards the almost motionless body of an alleged murderer.
The man had apparently set fire to his former girlfriend’s room in the early hours of morning. The 37 year old Sibongile Chiloane, her three children, Liesbet (15) - who was handicapped – Nelson – (10) and Tsakane (4) and her new boyfriend, Walter Khoza, died in the blaze.
Her eldest sister, Portia, who was not at home during the blaze, said Liesbet could not walk, speak or eat. Family members living cheek by jowl in a backyard shack in Padi Street last night recalled the hysterical screams of the children. Although to douse the flames, their attempts were in vein.
As the Chiloane family sat in the front garden last night, trying to get to terms with the tragedy, someone came running in, shouting that they have found the alleged murderer on the nearby mountain.
The community rushed to the street corner, but nothing happened.
As people returned to their homes another shout came. This time it was real, as angry voices were heard from the mountain.
Within a minute an Atteridgeville police car arrived. The group of angry men, earlier seen at the Chiloane house, was dragging the suspect, face down in the tarred road. They threw him towards the waiting community.
The man at first lay motionless his body white from dust. Blood oozed from his head and was breathing heavily.
As police called for back up, the crowd pulled the tyre closer.
“We want to burn him life because he burnt the children, one disabled,” some women screamed.
When the armed police realized they were outnumbered, they formed a circle around the man. Some people picked up stones and threw them at the man.” He is a killer, he should die”, one man shouted.
This drama came less than 24 hours after the horrible deaths of Chilaone and her loved ones. Earlier last night Aunt Martha Chilaone pointed to the remains of her niece, room, which were less than a meter from her room.
“He poured it on Sibongile’s door frame,” I was scared so I hid below the window. When I looked again there were flames. “She recalled. She heard the children screaming, but could not get to them. She ran to the main house screaming for help.
Chiloane’s sister looked on in horror. “They say Sibongile maybe died first. Liesbet and Tsakane were clinging to the table, as if they were trying to get away from the flames. “My heart is broken” she said.
Jan Schoeman, Sibongile’s uncle, said when the police and fire brigade arrived , the flames were already out,. Then the mortuary van came, but, when the family later went to the burnt room again, they found a child’s foot still in the ashes.
“Please tell the police to come and get it. It is breaking us to think the children were burnt to pieces, ”he pleaded. They all felt a combination of fear and anger when the suspect was brought to the house.
“I am scared,”Portia said as she moved from the crowd. Some of the adults in the crowd chased the children away, but soon no one noticed them as they bayed for blood. Atteridgeville police spokesperson captain Bonginkosi Msimango last night said the police managed to get him from the crowd. He was taken to hospital, and would be charged with murder and arson.
It appeared Chiloane had a fight with her former boyfriend, about whom she broke up with about three months ago, according to family.
The captain said Khoza visited Chiloane on Saturday night.
“It appears the ex-boyfriend came after midnight. The victims were burnt beyond recognition,” he said.
In your view should the Police have let the crowd take the law into their own hands for the sake of the victims particularly the children?
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