Lufhereng family will have a place to call home again after devastating fire
The Masualle family relocated to the Lefuherang RDP housing project in 2012 from the overcrowded Protea South Informal Settlement.
The Masualle family in Lufhereng has begun rebuilding their home, thanks to a generous donor who delivered new building material to the house earlier in the week.
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The once two bed room house went up in flames on October 2, in what still remains a mystery to the family.
The house belonging to 66 year- old Elias Masualle who lives with his two children and four grandchildren who said they would have never been able to rebuild as they were reliant on his social grant as the sole income in the household.
“We are happy that today we have a reason to remain hopeful after a few hard weeks. Everything that once belonged to us was destroyed in the fire and we are now left with the clothes on our backs,” Bokang Masualle said.
“We watched the fire ravage through our home, even when the fire bridged arrived, the damage was already done.”
The family has been currently squatting with neighbours who have offered temporary shelter while they await further assistance from the Department of Social Development.
It is understood that the department had distributed vegetables and blankets to the family as well has assigned a social worker to access the situation as some of the grandchild were still in school.
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The Winny Radebe Foundation also based in Lufhereng said, “For us as a foundation, the most important thing is ensuring that this family gets a shelter and making sure they are not scattered as we see them.
“This is close to home and this is just a small way of saying to the family that they have our support and we will continue knocking on doors to assist them.”
Witnesses told Urban News that the fire began around 6pm at the backyard of the house where Mkhulu Masualle operates his small pillow making business. They said they suspected the fire may have been caused by the children.
“No one know how it started, we just saw a huge flame but we suspect it was the children playing with matches because there was no elder except for the sick mother who was sleeping and had to be carrying out,” said Neighbour Balac Manana.
“The community tried to stop it from spreading towards the house but we were out powered by the scorching flames. We could not do much except wait for the fire brigade.
“We are worried because he is old and doesn’t have much, that is why we are appealing for aid for the family,” Manana continued.
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The Masualle family relocated to the Lefuherang RDP housing project in 2012 from the overcrowded Protea South Informal Settlement.
Radebe lambasted the lack of urgency from relevant departments citing that the family should have longed been moved.
“There are people who are supposed to be doing all of this, prioritising and directing any relief efforts towards the family however you will not find them acting fast enough.
“Soon it will be raining, where will this family hide their heads when they are taking forever, ” she said.
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