Five die in blazing house including baby

Police have arrested a man in Seymour in the King William's Town area and charged him with murder and arson after a home in the town was gutted.

Police spokesperson Col Sibongile Soci said on Tuesday the house went up in flames in the early hours of Monday.

"A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested and charged with five counts of murder and one of arson following the gruesome discovery of a house in Seymour engulfed in flames at about 1.20am.

"The flames were witnessed by a community member, who also alleges he saw the man starting the fire. He called in members of the community and the man was arrested and handed over to the police."

Everyone in the house died. The five victims are a five-month-old infant, the girlfriend of the suspect, aged 30, her mother, 46, her sister, 24 and a 34-year-old man, she said.

"Police will not speculate on the motive for the attack. It will form part of the investigation.

"The suspect is expected to appear in the Seymour magistrate's court to face the charges."