Families in Nomzamo’s Ethembeni informal settlement lost everything when a fire swept through the community on Saturday (29 November) night.
The blaze flattened multiple structures, leaving residents to sift through the charred remains on Sunday morning. Sink plates lay scattered across the settlement as families desperately attempt to salvage what little they can from the destruction. Blackened wood from their homes is being carted away in wheelie bins as residents begin the daunting task of rebuilding.
Nokubanga Mkhitha, who lived in one of the destroyed structures with her husband and two children, said the fire destroyed everything she owned. The 40-year-old said she was at home when the fire started at about 23:00 but was unable to determine what caused the blaze.
“The fire happened very quickly. I just heard someone shouting ‘hey, fire, fire, fire!’” Mkhitha recalled.
The timing could not be worse for families like Mkhitha’s, with the festive season approaching.
“The food is gone. I don’t even have clothes for work,” she explained, still in shock from the devastation. She now faces the prospect of spending the holidays trying to rebuild her home from nothing.
When the DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette visited the scene, Lwandle police and emergency services were still attending to the aftermath. Authorities have not yet confirmed the number of structures damaged or whether anyone was injured in the fire.
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