News / Regional
Terminally ill woman burns in bedroom
10 Jun 2016 at 06:41hrs | Views
A 47-YEAR-OLD Bulilima woman was burnt beyond recognition in her bedroom hut in a suspected case of suicide following a long illness.
Sikhona Dube of Madlambuzi died on Wednesday morning while sleeping alone. She had tested HIV positive while her husband tested HIV negative.
Chief Madlambuzi confirmed the incident which occurred in his area at around 5AM. He said it is suspected that Dube decided to end her life after being ill for some time.
He said villagers and her relatives watched helplessly as the roof of the burning hut collapsed while Dube was inside.
"There is a woman who was burnt to death in her bedroom hut in my area. She was recently diagnosed with HIV and she had been ill for a while.
It's suspected that this could have frustrated her as her husband was found to be HIV negative,'' said Chief Madlambuzi.
He said Dube retired to bed on Tuesday night and the following day sent her sons to the business centre around 5AM.
Chief Madlambuzi said a relative of Dube who was sleeping in another hut woke up after hearing an explosion, only to discover that Dube's bedroom was on fire.
He said the woman alerted neighbours but when they arrived at the scene they were helpless as the fire was ferocious.
"I went to the scene of the incident soon after it happened and what I saw was horrific. Dube had been burnt beyond recognition. We suspect that she must have sent her sons away deliberately in order to end her life. Her sons also revealed that she used a solar light as a source of light in her bedroom which suggests that the hut could not have caught fire by mistake.
"Her children also saw the smoke from a distance but they were not aware that their home was on fire and when they came back it was already too late,'' he said.
Chief Madlambuzi said the incident had left people in his area in shock.
He said it was saddening to know that people still resorted to suicide when experiencing problems.
The councillor of the area, Jabeth Mlalazi said she learnt from Dube's relatives that the woman was always complaining that her husband, a teacher at a school in a neighbouring ward, was now neglecting her ever since she tested positive.
Sikhona Dube of Madlambuzi died on Wednesday morning while sleeping alone. She had tested HIV positive while her husband tested HIV negative.
Chief Madlambuzi confirmed the incident which occurred in his area at around 5AM. He said it is suspected that Dube decided to end her life after being ill for some time.
He said villagers and her relatives watched helplessly as the roof of the burning hut collapsed while Dube was inside.
"There is a woman who was burnt to death in her bedroom hut in my area. She was recently diagnosed with HIV and she had been ill for a while.
It's suspected that this could have frustrated her as her husband was found to be HIV negative,'' said Chief Madlambuzi.
He said Dube retired to bed on Tuesday night and the following day sent her sons to the business centre around 5AM.
Chief Madlambuzi said a relative of Dube who was sleeping in another hut woke up after hearing an explosion, only to discover that Dube's bedroom was on fire.
He said the woman alerted neighbours but when they arrived at the scene they were helpless as the fire was ferocious.
"I went to the scene of the incident soon after it happened and what I saw was horrific. Dube had been burnt beyond recognition. We suspect that she must have sent her sons away deliberately in order to end her life. Her sons also revealed that she used a solar light as a source of light in her bedroom which suggests that the hut could not have caught fire by mistake.
"Her children also saw the smoke from a distance but they were not aware that their home was on fire and when they came back it was already too late,'' he said.
Chief Madlambuzi said the incident had left people in his area in shock.
He said it was saddening to know that people still resorted to suicide when experiencing problems.
The councillor of the area, Jabeth Mlalazi said she learnt from Dube's relatives that the woman was always complaining that her husband, a teacher at a school in a neighbouring ward, was now neglecting her ever since she tested positive.
Source - chronicle
