Two sisters who were arrested and charged with culpable homicide after their five children burnt to death in a shack last month will remain in jail. Lindiwe Machaka (39) and Zanele Machaka (37), from Itireleng, an informal settlement near Laudium in Tshwane, appeared at the Atteridgeville Magistrates Court on yestrday..

The court heard that Lindiwe is the grandmother to two of the children, aged one and two, while Zanele is a mother to the rest of the three children. It is alleged that on the evening of 27 August 2023, the two women locked the five children inside their shack and went to a nearby tavern to drink. It is alleged that while the two were still out, the shack caught fire and all the children burnt to death. "The two women were arrested at the tavern the same night and remanded in custody. They are facing five counts of culpable homicide, for the death of the children and are also facing a charge of child neglect," said the NPA's Lumka Mahanjana.

Mahanjana said during their brief appearance, the sisters asked to be released on R500 bail for the both of them. "However, the magistrate told the court that she intended to grant them R5000 bail each due to the seriousness of the offence. The sisters through their defence told the court they won't be able to pay the amount. The matter was then postponed to 15 September 2023, for a report from the Department of Correctional Services to check if the two sisters are suitable to be placed under correctional supervision after bail is granted.