Murder-accused KZN DA councillor Michael Buthelezi to spend festive season behind bars

A 48-year-old KwaZulu-Natal DA councillor accused of murdering his family in a house fire in October will spend Christmas and New Year's Eve behind bars.

Michael Buthelezi appeared in the Bergville magistrate's court on Thursday.

He faces charges of murder and arson and was arrested on Monday.

Buthelezi’s wife and three children died in a fire that engulfed the family home in the early hours. Buthelezi was taken to hospital with severe burn wounds.

KZN National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the matter was postponed to January 8 for Buthelezi to secure legal representation.

After the fire, DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers visited Buthelezi in hospital.

Rodgers appealed to the SAPS provincial leadership to urgently intervene in what, at the time, appeared to be another violent incident, which could have been linked to politics, in KZN.

Rodgers later said after investigations he had been informed by SAPS provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of Buthelezi’s arrest.

He said the matter would be referred to the party’s federal legal commission.

TimesLIVE