Machaka sisters back in court for deadly shack fire

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The case of two sisters accused of culpable homicide and child neglect in connection with a deadly shack fire is set to resume in the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court today.

Lindiwe and Zanele Machaka stand charged with five counts of culpable homicide and one count of child neglect following a fire in August 2023 that claimed the lives of five children aged between 1 and 7 years.

The incident occurred in the Itireleng informal settlement in Laudium, Pretoria. It is alleged that the Machaka sisters left the children locked inside the shack while they went to a nearby tavern.

The shack caught fire and the children were trapped inside, perishing in the blaze.

The sisters were arrested shortly after the incident and initially denied any involvement. However, they were eventually released on a warning and are currently under correctional supervision in their home in Kwa-Mhlanga, Mpumalanga.

Parents of five children who died in Itireleng shack fire locked them inside to go partying