Relative's plan to rent out home of Nene's 'killer' sparked arson, says councillor

The home of Uyinene Mrwetyana's suspected killer was torched after a relative decided to rent it out, according to a Cape Town councillor.

Patrick Mngxunyeni said community members were angry when they saw a relative removing furniture from the Khayelitsha home of a 42-year-old clerk at the Clareinch post office, accused of murdering the 19-year-old University of Cape Town student, known as Nene.  

Photographs and videos of the house going up in flames were widely circulated on social media platforms on Tuesday evening.

Ward councillor Mngxunyeni told TimesLIVE on Wednesday that a relative of the alleged killer had provoked residents by sending prospective tenants to the house while the investigation into Mrwetyana's murder is still under way.

Mngxunyeni said the community felt the relative was being insensitive and irresponsible.

The councillor said he had called a community meeting outside the house on Tuesday. “I called the meeting to give the community feedback from police.

“I told the residents at the meeting that investigation is still pending and therefore they should wait for the outcome of that process. But it was out of my control. I don’t encourage residents to undermine the justice system.”

Mngxunyeni said the relative of the alleged killer - who cannot be named in terms of a court order - provoked the community.

“The [relative] went to that house and removed the furniture. He did not report that to me or the street committee," he said.

“After that he sent people to assess the house because he wanted to rent it out. The community asked the prospective tenants what they were doing on the property because I had told them not to tamper with the house as it is a crime scene.

"They said [the relative] had sent them. Residents queried why the [relative] was in a hurry to rent out the house when the investigation is still ongoing.”

Mngxunyeni said he had tried to calm the community but tempers flared when the relative reported residents to the police, alleging they were interfering with his private affairs.

“I told the residents that I don’t know [the relative] and urged them to wait and see if the tenants would move at all,” he said.

“Whilst we were waiting, I got a call from the police saying that the accused’s [relative] is at the police station and wanted to open a case against the community.

"He said he had heard a rumour that the community intended to burn that house down. He wanted to deter the committee. I found that provocative.

"It’s my duty to keep the community abreast of all developments. I told them that ‘you could be arrested’. I don’t understand why he could open a case when he was aware of how sensitive the matter was. So I reiterate that he provoked the community.”

-Meanwhile, police say there is no truth to the rumours spread on social media that a body or bodies had been discovered at a residence in Lingelethu West on Tuesday night.