Iviwe Deli (15) and her younger sister, Ayamkela Deli (13), from Mzikayise Dalasile Senior Secondary School in Ngcobo, were described as learners who were dedicated to their school work, especially when it came to mathematics.
Both of them died when the two-roomed house they were living in caught fire.
They were sleeping with their mother, Noxolo Deli (48), and their siblings, Zuko (20) and Azipheli (9), when the incident happened. All of them died on the scene.
The principal of the school, Baba Nonkasa, said it felt like they were having a bad dream when they heard about this incident. He said these two learners were very humble and showed that they were coming from a home that had discipline.
“Even now we are not sure about this because our hearts are failing to accept it. Their relatives should know that this is not the end of the world. Let us put our hope in God,” said Nonkasa.
The chairperson of the school governing body, Kanyile Vellem, said they hoped that the law would take its course.
He said the Deli children’s fellow learners were shocked and unable to swallow this pain.
He said even though they don’t know what happened exactly, they had found an empty 5l petrol container in this homestead.
“We hope police officers would work hard and arrest the perpetrators because they killed an unemployed woman and her children,” said Vellem.
The police spokesperson, Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana, said on the morning of the incident that the community members had heard people crying and they witnessed flames coming from the Deli family home.
He said when they went to investigate they discovered that the house was on fire.
“The house caught fire and the family had difficulty escaping, as the house had burglar doors.
“All who were inside were burnt beyond recognition,” said Kinana.
