PHOTOS: Steven Makhanya
A HOUSE was badly damaged by fire on Tuesday leaving a Zulu family of uMhlanga, Ngwelezane homeless.
The fire was started by a burning candle at about 6pm.
The family of four consisting of a grandmother Sibongile Zulu (64), who is a pensioner, Fanele (30) who works odd jobs, 10-year-old Sandiso and six-year-old Ayanda, were left with gaping walls, charred pieces of clothing and scorched kitchen appliances.
There was no power during the afternoon and Grandmother Zulu lit a candle just before dusk. She was searching for her slippers after she had heard a knock at the front door, and left the candle burning when she left her bedroom to open the door.
‘Five minutes after leaving the bedroom, I heard a crackling noise from the bedroom and when I rushed, in I found the curtains burning, and the fire spreading very fast.
‘Before long, the flames had engulfed the whole bedroom, and was spreading throughout the other rooms,’ said the distraught grandmother.’
She said she tried to douse the flames with sand, and then water, but in vain.
The neighbours arrived to help but were also too late to save the house. They called the Fire Department which arrived at the scene after 45 minutes and doused the flames.
City of uMhlathuze Ward 29 Councilor Mthunzi Mathenjwa visited the distressed family on Tuesday evening, and on Wednesday morning dispatched the Disaster Management team to do an assessment of the damage. They brought the Zulu family some blankets.
‘Today (Thursday) we are sending them food parcels and I have discussed the possibility of organising a temporary housing structure for them, as Gogo Zulu is a pensioner and no other family member has regular work.
‘We also hope to organise them some clothing and two more blankets,’ said Mathenjwa.
Mathenjwa warned families to be extra- vigilant during winter when they light candles as most of the time there is no power because of electricity installations taking place at uMhlanga.
READ Fire safety tips for winter
