DA KZN Bergville Councillor arrested following fatal house fire

18 December 2023

The DA in KZN has been informed of the arrest of Bergville Councillor, Michael Buthelezi, following the gruesome death of his family during a house fire in October this year.

In that incident Buthelezi’s wife and three children died in a fire that engulfed the family home in the early hours, while Buthelezi was rushed to hospital with severe burn wounds. Shortly after DA Provincial Leader, Francois Rodgers, visited a severely injured Buthelezi in hospital and immediately reached out to the SAPS provincial top brass to urgently intervene in what, at the time, appeared to be another violent, senseless incident in KZN.

Following investigations, the DA Provincial Leader, Rodgers, has now been informed by SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, of Buthelezi’s arrest after he was a prime suspect in police investigations.

The DA in the province has, before, called for a thorough probe in the matter and for those involved to be held accountable, regardless of affiliation. This is still our position and we further call for the law to take its course in this and other matters.

The DA will now refer the matter of to the party’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC) .

Issued by Francois Rodgers, DA KZN Provincial Leader, 18 December 2023