71-year-old woman in Lusikisiki killed in a suspected arson attack - ‘We're scared' says family

News24

2 days ago

A devastating yet sinister incident has shaken the Dalindyebo family and community of Lusikisiki - EC at large after Bathozamile Dalindyebo (71) was found dead in her home, following a suspected arson attack that broke out at night while she was asleep with her grandchild who miraculously survived the ordeal.
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The family is still mourning and reeling from the loss of their beloved matriarch; however, Lundi Dalindyebo, the victim's son, shared with DRUM harrowing details of the incident and how the family is coping following the tragic incident.
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Lundi states that the fire was discovered by a neighbour who had gotten up to use the restroom around 1 AM on Sunday, May 25. She then smelled the fire fumes and upon checking she found the family's rondavel engulfed in flames.
'It was on Saturday, May 24, and based on the information the neighbour provided we can safely suggest that the fire started as early as 11 PM the previous night, but the neighbour only noticed at 1 AM following morning. She says she was getting up to pee when she smelled fire fumes and decided to go check as she thought it could've been coming from the cemetery, only to see that it was coming from my mom's house, and she then called for help. So, according to us as the family and the police assessing the scene we can definitely say the fire started around 11 PM,' he emphasised.
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Lundi says that the family believes that their mother was likely attacked before being set alight, citing the fact that she was found at the center of the rondavel lifeless, rather than near the door where she would have likely tried to escape had it just been fire only at play.
'The reason we believe she was most likely attacked before they sealed her fate is mainly because we found her at the center of the rondavel burnt beyond recognition as though they took her out of bed and put her there,' he said.
He further mentioned the strong smell of paraffin at the scene further supports their suspicions that it's an arson attack and not anything else.
'When we arrived at the scene we were welcomed with a strong smell of what we can only assume for now is paraffin or maybe gasoline, which supports our claims that indeed she was attacked,' he added.
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Lundi mentions that the victim was sleeping with her 1-year-old grandchild at the time, who miraculously survived the tragic ordeal as she was found on the side of the bed as though the perpetrators may have deliberately set the child aside, reason that further supports their claims of an attack as he says they know she would've strived to protect the child from the fire had it not been premeditated.
'The 1-year-old was saved from the fire by people who arrived at the scene before it consumed the whole rondavel and was just on one side, but fortunately enough for her, she didn't sustain no injuries,' he said.
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The family is still grappling with the circumstances surrounding the incident, as they claim that their mother was a well-liked person with no known enemies.
'She didn't have any fights with anyone, and she wasn't in any debt where we could maybe say it's people she owed, no, nothing like that and we're in a state of confusion as to who she wronged this much to die so brutally,' Lundi said, expressing the family's confusion and pain.
Lundi concluded by saying that as they prepare to lay their mother to rest on June 7, they're still seeking answers and justice with the police still investigating as no one has been arrested yet, he also mentioned that the family no longer feels safe after this horrific incident.
'We're scared, and don't know what to expect next and we must now constantly look over our shoulders,' he concluded.