An 8 month-old girl died in Aloe Street, Dunoon, at the hands of her own father, say police.
According to Milnerton police spokeswoman, Captain Nopaya Madyibi, the 32-year-old man had a row with his girlfriend at their Dunoon home late on Saturday November 16 and into the early hours of the next morning.
“The argument got too much that the woman ran and locked herself and her baby in the toilet, trying to get away from the man. The suspect kicked the door down and doused them with paraffin he had in his hands,” Captain Madyibi said.
The man checked his pockets for matches, and when he couldn’t find any, he ran to fetch some.
“Meanwhile, the girlfriend ran for her life, leaving the child behind in the toilet. When the man came back, he set the child alight and she died on the scene.”
Ward 104 councillor Lubabalo Makeleni called the little girl’s murder a “satanic act”.
“It is unfair that children often get punished when the parents don’t get along. It is even sadder when the child loses his or her life because of these disagreements. We have just entered the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign and we can’t have these things happen. Not now, not ever.
Dunoon residents were shocked by news of the crime.
Sandile Gongqo, who lives near Aloe Street where the murder took place, said there was a great deal of violence in the community and too few police.
“At all hours of the night, you will find people roaming the streets, drinking, breaking into houses, robbing people and, on some occasions, people get killed. We need higher visibility from SAPS. Also, this place desperately needs a police station,” he said.
Mr Makeleni said people should be “more cautious” ahead of the festive season.
The suspect was arrested on the scene on the same day. He was set to appear at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday November 19.
