Five people, including two children aged four and five, died in a fire in the France Informal Settlement in Site B, Khayelitsha.
The incident occured at about 4.30am on Sunday.
Firefighters recovered the bodies of 53-year-old Nosimpiwe Tafeni, her daughter Aphelele Tafeni, 17, her grandchildren Nkazimlo Tafeni, 5, and Melokuhle, 4, and an unknown person only known as Zakhele, 30.
Nosimpwe’s sister, Ntombizanele Gqomfa, said that her sister had just recently moved into that shack and was in the process of divorcing her husband.
Gqomfa added that her sister’s daughter, with her two children, was visiting her mother .
According to Gqomfa the fire seemed to be burning from the door, restricting access into and out of the shack, suggesting foul play.
Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk said Khayelitsha police opened an inquest docket.
“The cause of the fire is unknown at the moment. Anyone with any information is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop anonymously on 08600 10111,” he said.
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