A 33-year-old man appeared in court yesterday for allegedly killing his girlfriend and suffocating her four-year-old daughter before setting their bodies alight.

Antony Monyakeni from Daveyton on the East Rand appeared in the Benoni Magistrate's Court for the deaths of Nonhlanhla Rapodile and her daughter Hlelokuhle.

Monyakeni allegedly killed the two at his home on Friday.

He was also charged with defeating the ends of justice, malicious damage to property, arson and tempering with a crime scene with intention to conceal evidence.

According to police, Monyakeni has confessed to the double murder, claiming he killed his girlfriend after a heated argument.

Police spokesman Constable Justice Ramaube said Monyakeni confessed to throwing Rapodile against a stove, which caused her to bleed profusely, at their rented RDP house.

Ramaube said when Monyakeni realised that the woman's daughter Hlelokuhle had witnessed the assault, he then decided to suffocate her with a pillow. Hlelokuhle was not his biological child.

Ramaube said the man later burnt down the house with the two inside to conceal evidence.

Monyakeni will appear in court again tomorrow for a formal bail application.

Rapodile's sister Dineo told Sowetan yesterday the deceased had been in an abusive relationship and had constantly been beaten by Monyakeni.

"About three months ago she told me on WhatsApp that she was not going to work because she had been beaten up by her lover the previous night," she said.

Dineo said she had pleaded with her sister to leave Monyakeni to no avail.

"I just want to tell women out there to leave abusive relationships while they still can. As a family, we are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved ones,"
Dineo said.

A neighbour, Tlou Maubane, told Sowetan he never thought Monyakeni would do such a terrible thing.

"I came back on Friday night around 10pm and drove into my house. Little did I know that my neighbour was sitting with two bodies," said Maubane.

"I heard his car drive out while I was in my bedroom, only later to be woken up by a drunk passerby who was screaming: "kuyasha vukani (there's fire, wake up!)"

Maubane said he looked out of his window and saw huge flames and black smoke engulfing Monyakeni's house.

He said he got a shock of his life when paramedics and firefighters announced that they had found two bodies inside the house.

Rapodile's uncle, Themba Rapodile, said the family had been dealt a double blow by the horrific killings. "We are broken. I only met him (Monyakeni) when the police called us as a family and we went to the scene.

"I still can't believe he came in the morning after burning them at night and acted shocked," he said.

The mother and daughter were due to celebrate their birthdays next month.