Alex mothers kept behind bars need special permission to attend funerals of their children who died in blaze

18 September 2018 - 14:00 By Karabo Ledwaba
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The relatives of the women charged with culpable homicide and child abuse, among others, found it hard to accept the court's decision to postpone their case to to September 28 2018
The relatives of the women charged with culpable homicide and child abuse, among others, found it hard to accept the court's decision to postpone their case to to September 28 2018
Image: SANDILE NDLOVU

The Alexandra Magistrate's Court was packed to the rafters on Tuesday when members of the community turned out in big numbers to catch a glimpse of the two women who locked up their children in a house which later caught fire‚ killing their four children.

Bongiwe Ngubeni‚ 31‚ and Nelisiwe Fihlani‚ 28‚ face charges of culpable homicide‚ child abuse‚ child neglect and deliberate neglect of a child.

Nokulunga Bhengu‚ who is related to the two women‚ burst into tears when magistrate Satya Prinsloo postponed their bail application to Friday next week.

Gauteng social development MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza said the children will be buried on Saturday‚ adding that the accused would need to apply for permission from the authorities to attend their funerals. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday at a local school.

"We went to the home of the four children and it was a sad situation‚" Mayathula-Khoza said. "The 14-year-old who [managed to] escape [when the house caught fire] will be supported. He will be provided with a uniform because his old one was burnt‚ food and counselling."

TimesLIVE reported previously that the two women were arrested after police were called out on Sunday at about 5am.

"On their arrival‚ they found four children - aged between three and seven years old - in a fire at their home‚” police said in a statement.

Police said the witness they spoke to‚ who is believed to be the 14-year-old survivor who was sleeping in the same house‚ said he was awakened by the fire‚ which had already engulfed most of the house.

“He quickly ran out to the neighbours to seek help‚” police said.

But it was too late. A six-year-old child died at the scene‚ while three other children were taken to hospital‚ where they later died.

- SowetanLIVE


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