Children perish in blaze
The bereaved parents - still reeling in shock and disbelief - say they have unanswered questions as to what really happened to their children.
Tragedy struck the community of Pelepele, a village near Bizana, when four young children lost their lives in a house fire last Saturday afternoon.
Police spokesman Warrant Officer Zilungile Nkamda confirmed that all four children, belonging to the Xesibe family and aged between two and four years, perished in the fire.
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The bereaved parents – still reeling in shock and disbelief – say they have unanswered questions as to what really happened to their children.
It is believed the children were last seen playing outside shortly before neighbors noticed that a fire had broken out at their home.
After having received a call from neighbors, the children’s grandfather asked his brother, Mzaneno Xesibe, to check on the children.
When Mr Xesibe arrived he found the three bedroomed flat engulfed in flames.
“Four neighbours, three women and and a man, were trying to put out the fire. We were also unable to enter through the door due to the intensity of the fire and we were forced to break in via a window.”
According to Mr Xesibe, they did not know the children were inside. “We only made the gruesome discovery when the fire was extinguished.”
Tragically, he said, the children were already dead, their bodies burnt beyond recognition.
Philisiwe Xesibe (27), a housekeeper at a nearby hotel and the mother of one of the children, said she had been at work at the time.
“I’m devastated, I don’t know how to feel. I’m hoping they will tell me my child is still coming back,” said the inconsolable mother.
The other parents are unable to talk about the tragedy, and professionals had to be called in to help them cope.
“An inquest docket is being investigated by Mbizana SAPS,” W/O Nkamda said.
Ward councillor Alice Jalubane said the entire village was in shock.
“To lose one family member is heartbreaking, but to lose four is a tragedy that no words can heal, especially under these circumstances.”
Councillor Jalubane said they too were still confused about the circumstances leading up to the catastrophe.
“We have so many unanswered questions. We asked Eskom to check if there was perhaps an electrical fault in the homestead or house but were told there wasn’t, which is even more puzzling.”
Mbizana Local Municipality mayor, Daniswa Mafumbatha said they had engaged with social workers to assess the situation and offer counselling to the bereaved family.
Mr Xesibe said funeral arrangements had been made for this Sunday.
MEC for social development, Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi said the department was ‘gravely concerned’ by the incident.
The MEC said therapeutic counselling and trauma debriefing was being rendered to the affected family members.
“The department has also delivered social relief aid in the form of food parcels, beds, linen and other basics.”
She added that she had been alarmed by the number of apparent child neglect cases reported in the Bizana area.
According to the MEC, the department will, together with other sector departments, institute an outreach programme to ‘tackle the social ills which manifest themselves in the victimisation of children’.
The department has also consulted with those in the safety, justice, education and local government sectors in order to come up with a robust method of ensuring a safer environment in the Bizana area.
“In this critical moment we encourage the community to stand united in protecting and upholding the rights of children,” Ms Mani-Lusithi said.
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