Pensioner found burnt to death in her house

A 72-year-old pensioner from Mdantsane‚ identified as Nomfazi Tshembese‚ was found burnt to death in her Potsdam house on Monday morning.

Police said on Tuesday the woman was found on the floor of her two room house. The house and furniture showed no signs of fire damage.

“The cause of death is not yet known. An inquest docket has been opened for investigation‚” police spokesman Lieutenant Nkosiko Mzuku said.

The woman was last seen on Sunday evening by three of her grandchildren‚ who had taken supper to her.

Her daughter‚ Nombulelo Ntsunguzi‚ said Tshembese had moved in with her last year after her husband died. However‚ on Sunday evening the elderly woman decided to return to her home‚ which is situated about three streets from her daughter’s house.

“On Monday my older brother (Seti Ntsunguzi) came to see her‚ and I told him she had spent the night in her house‚” said the daughter.

Seti said he went to the house and found it locked. When he peeped through the key hole‚ he noticed the key was still inside. He then went around the house‚ calling out his mother’s name and looked through the window.

“She was lying on the floor burnt. I screamed her name but she did not respond. I then called on residents who then came and kicked down the door‚” Seti said.

Seti said a shop keeper nearby told him that his mother had bought a candle on Sunday evening.

 “The candle that we found on the scene was not used‚” he said.