Police in Kakamas in the Northern Cape are looking for the father of a four-year-old boy who burnt to death at his house on Sunday evening.

Police spokesperson Brig Mohale Ramatseba said the father and mother of the child were involved in an argument at their home in Hashvalley before the fire started.

"After the father stabbed the mother with a knife, she succeeded to flee with two of the children to her sister’s house, from where they managed to call the police. The suspect, however, got hold of the one child, a four-year-old boy," said Ramatseba.

He said that while police were on their way to where the woman was, officers noticed a house burning in Kakamas.

"Upon their arrival at the burning house, members of the community already tried to put out the fire. It was later discovered that the four-year-old child was in the burning house and that he was killed in the fire."

Ramatseba said the father of the child fled from the scene and was still at large. 

"He is wanted for questioning by the police at Kakamas," he said.