Arson suspected after Lindiwe Sisulu’s family home destroyed by fire

The family home of former human settlements minister Lindiwe Sisulu was gutted by a mysterious fire on Wednesday night.

Police have launched a manhunt for those they believe are behind a burglary and arson at the house.

Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said out of three houses at the homestead the main house had been burned down and two other houses had broken windows.

The home was in rural Quthubeni, near Ngcobo, where Sisulu’s father,  late anti-apartheid hero Walter Sisulu, was born. 

The fire was reportedly noticed by neighbours and they notified some of Sisulu’s relatives, who also live in Ngcobo.

She said on Thursday the incident had left her with a deep sense of loss and she was convinced the fire had been started deliberately.

“It’s my home. I regularly went there and I always felt safe. Now everything is gone,” Sisulu said

“I loved the house in an otherwise serene and peaceful environment.

“I regularly came back here and sometimes would spend even an entire week. It is my home and I always feel safe to a point where I did not even bother to lock the doors when I was here.”

She said nobody had been there at the time of the incident.

One of her relatives in the village, Ludwe Hlakul,a said they had battled the blaze for two hours.

Whoever had caused the fire had first gained access to the other two houses by breaking windows, he said.

However the main rondavel had burglar bars on the windows and door.

Neighbour Nosango Mcaba described Sisulu as one of the friendliest people she knew.

She said it was not the first time the former minister’s house had been burgled.

It had been broken into in 2016 and a television set, water tank and a fridge had been stolen.

On Thursday, Quthubeni villagers said they had battled to contain the fire as there were strong winds blowing.

They had managed to connect a small water pipe to a tank next to the house.

In another incident, the only police station servicing rural Middledrift was torched twice this week.

The police station was on fire again on Wednesday evening, after it was first set alight in the early hours of Monday.

Concerned residents, who did not want to be named, said they were worried about how they were going to get help when crime happened.

“There are a lot of surrounding villages which solely depend on that police station,” one resident said.

“It is concerning that state property is being destroyed.

“I hope it is not influenced by corruption as people want evidence or dockets to be destroyed and cases dropped.”

Another resident said the police station was always locked and empty in the evening.

“They never work in the evening, or they lock themselves inside and it may seem they are not present,” he said.

On both occasions, the arsonists targeted the section of the station which houses the detectives unit. 

The police station is still open.

Police spokesperson Lietenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed that a case of arson had been opened.

Monday’s incident occurred at about 2.15am.

“According to information, the detectives’ section, SAPS documents and furniture worth more than R2m were destroyed,” Mawisa said.”

Amathole District Municipality spokesperson Sisa Mwisa said the ADM disaster management centre would assess the extent of the damage and determine any required interventions on the building.

On Wednesday, she issued a statement warning about weather which might create a high risk of runaway fires posing a possible threat to lives, property and infrastructure.

“At this stage, we are still gathering information on other areas that may have been affected within the district,” she said.

“There have been no reports of injuries, but our teams will continue to verify this as part of the assessment process.

“The cost of repairs will be determined once a full assessment has been conducted.”

Daily Dispatch