Teen injured after alleged petrol arson attack on Kariega candidate’s home

Family escapes burning Kariega home

A 17-year-old girl suffered burn marks after a fire was allegedly started in her bedroom at the Kariega home of DA ward candidate Kayzel Forbes. The incident is being investigated as arson after a window was reportedly broken and petrol was poured into the room before it was set alight.

SAPS was called to the residence at about 10.30pm. According to Eastern Cape police, the teenager had been asleep when she heard the window breaking and became aware of the smell of petrol. She found the room burning and tried to put out the flames, but the fire spread through the house.

Other members of the Forbes family also attempted to help before escaping the property. Police said Forbes and four relatives managed to get out, while the teenager was injured in the incident. She was taken to hospital by ambulance for medical treatment.

“She discovered that her room was on fire and attempted to extinguish the flames, but the fire spread,” SAPS Eastern Cape spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said.

The fire affected a large section of the house, including the room next to the teenager’s bedroom. The account from police indicates that the family faced the immediate danger of flames spreading through occupied living areas at night, leaving little time to respond or get to safety.

Police investigation continues

Firefighters attended the scene alongside several police units. These included the Local Criminal Record Centre, Crime Intelligence, the explosive unit, metro police and the Nelson Mandela Bay district task team.

The case has been assigned to the district task team for further investigation. No arrests have been made, and police have not announced whether a suspect has been identified or provided a possible motive for the attack.

The investigation will have to establish how the fire was started, who was responsible and whether the incident was connected to Forbes’s political work. At this stage, the available police information confirms the alleged break-in and fire, but does not establish the identity of the attacker or the reason for targeting the home.

Police appealed to anyone who may have information that could assist the investigation to contact the investigating officer or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Information can also be submitted through the MySAPS app, with SAPS saying that information would be handled confidentially.

Political condemnation

The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape condemned the alleged attack and expressed solidarity with Forbes and her family. The incident comes as political parties prepare for the 2026 local government elections, in which Forbes is the DA’s ward 50 candidate in Nelson Mandela Bay.

That political context has heightened concern around the attack, although investigators have not yet confirmed that the fire was politically motivated. Establishing that link will form part of the police inquiry, along with determining whether the alleged use of petrol was intended to intimidate the candidate or was connected to another dispute.

For the family, the immediate consequences are personal and practical: a teenager has required medical care, relatives have fled a burning home and part of the property has been damaged. The police response has brought together forensic, intelligence, fire and municipal law-enforcement resources as investigators work to secure evidence and identify those responsible.

How information can be reported

• Contact the investigating officer handling the case.
• Call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
• Submit information through the MySAPS app.
• Police said information would be treated confidentially.

Police have urged members of the public not to withhold information that could help prevent further harm or bring the person responsible before the courts. Until the investigation is completed, the allegations remain subject to due process and no suspect has been named.