Africa-Press – South-Africa. Eastern Cape police have appealed to the public to come forward with information on the cause of a fire that claimed the lives of Methodist Church reverend Mandisi Mphithi, his wife, and three children at their Seplan mission home near Cala.
The police have opened an inquest docket after Mphithi, 46, his wife Dunyiswa, 29, and their three children, Khololwetu, 5, Zimi, 3, and 11-month-old Yololwetu died in the mysterious blaze on Thursday midnight.
The family’s live-in domestic worker did not sustain any injuries and was receiving psycho-social support at Cala Hospital, the provincial health department said.
The police said they would not speculate about the cause of the fire.
“The detectives will use their discretion on whether or not there are reasons to conduct an interview with the survivor. We do not want to speculate at this stage,” said police spokesperson, Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana.
Kinana said police officers arrived at the house, which was ablaze, after being called by a resident.
“The firefighters who were also at the scene managed to extinguish the blaze, but the family could not be saved as they had already died inside the house. Only one person, believed to be a domestic worker, aged 28, was rescued. She was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical care,” said Kinana.
“Physically, she never sustained any [burn wounds] but has been mainly kept for psycho-social support reasons. [She] might leave [on Tuesday], but the concerned church and social development are finalising an exit plan,” said Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo, on the condition of the domestic worker.
The Methodist Church of Southern Africa said it was devastated by the horrific and tragic death of Mphithi and his loved ones.
On its Facebook page, the church asked congregants, friends and colleagues of the Mphithi family to pray for them and the domestic worker.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said Mphithi was an exemplary man of the cloth. Mabuyane added that, with the support of his wife and family, Mphithi played an important role in the lives of the young and old in his community.
He said:
The Eastern Cape task team of the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) said the deaths of the Mphithi family was not only a loss for their families and the Methodist Church, but also for the communities they served.
“Reverend Mphithi and his wife were exemplary people of the cloth, who put service to the people and spreading the word of God before anything. We wish to call on the people of the Eastern Cape and the religious fraternity to support the family during this period,” ANCWL provincial coordinator Siphokazi Lusithi said in a statement.
“It is through our collective practical support that they will feel that their sorrow is shared by many.”
The funeral is expected to take place later this week.
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