Six tenants lose everything in Bordeaux South house fire
When tragedy struck six tenants who lost everything in a devastating house fire, the community showed up to assist where they could.
Six tenants have lost all their belongings in a devastating fire that gutted a converted rental house in Bordeaux South.
The fire destroyed clothing, personal items and important documents before the roof collapsed, leaving the property severely damaged.
Read more: Firefighters respond to vacant house fire in Randburg
John Dlamini, a tenant and housekeeper, described the destruction as overwhelming for all affected families.
“All the rooms are burnt down, and we couldn’t take anything out. All the important documents are gone. The fire was so quick we could not take anything out,” Dlamini said.
He lost all his furniture and was left with only the clothes he was wearing.
“We are lucky that everyone was able to come out. We are starting over, and I believe everyone will bounce back,” he added.
Joburg EMS put out the blaze at the five-bedroom house. EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi confirmed the roof had collapsed, adding that no injuries were reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Ward 102 councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete turned to residents for help after learning about the incident, appealing for clothing, personal items and document support.
Campbell-Cloete created a dedicated WhatsApp group to coordinate relief efforts after a resident alerted her to the extent of the damage.
“It immediately became clear that the loss was significant and that the six tenants would need considerable assistance. I realised that, given the scale of the damage and the number of people affected, I would not be able to manage individual messages and coordinate all the assistance effectively on my own,” she said.
Also read: Firefighters respond to vacant house fire in Randburg
Residents quickly joined the group, offering space at properties and business premises as drop-off points.
“The response was overwhelming. People started offering donations straight away,” Campbell-Cloete said. “People did not wait for someone else to take responsibility; they stepped forward and asked how they could help.”
A day after the fire, resident Michele Paximadis delivered the first load of beds. Kelly Ann van der Meer from One Act of Kindness provided sleeping bags, cooked meals and R400 charity store vouchers for each family.
Paximadis praised the swift community support.
“It goes to show that one request for people in a crisis can make a difference. It never harms to ask. The tenants are still processing the trauma and taking one day at a time,” Paximadis said.
Donated items include beds, bedding, kitchenware, appliances, clothing, toiletries, dry food goods and vouchers worth R3 000, along with children’s clothes and school backpacks.
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