Publications
Partners
Durban - A woman and a nine-month old baby were killed after a man allegedly attempted to set his wife alight in the Northern Cape town of Olifantshoek, police said on Saturday.
Northern Cape Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said that police were called to a house in Olifantshoek to find it burning in the early hours of Saturday morning.
While details are not clear it emerged that a man had allegedly attempted to kill his wife by setting her alight.
While the wife sustained critical injuries, the fire spread to five other rooms, killing another relative and a sleeping nine-month old baby.
Naidu said the man was later found on the road having sustained burn wounds and a stab wound to the neck.
“It is believed that he tried to kill himself after the incident, but we will have to investigate further.”
His wife was first flown to a hospital in Kimberly and then to another hospital for treatment.
Naidu said it was understood that the woman was a prominent local politician, but she did not have details.
The man faces a charge of arson, two counts of murder and a charge of attempted murder.
He is currently being treated at a local hospital near Olifantshoek.
The little town of Olifantshoek is about 80km south-west of Kuruman.
