A MUM believes that a mysterious fire which burnt her son to death was not meant for him.
Nomkhuleko Ngema (49) from Eshowe, northern KZN is heartbroken because her son Mondli Ngema (21) died while he was asleep in his friend’s shack.
The incident happened at B section in KwaMashu on Monday.
Mondli was asked by his friend Sifiso Mkhize (38) to look after his shack while he went to visit his family in Eshowe.
In the early hours of Monday morning, the two-roomed shack suddenly burst into flames, while Mondli was fast asleep.
Although it’s not clear what caused the fire, Mondli’s mother believes it was meant for Sifiso and not her son.
She told Daily Sun that if her son hadn’t slept at Sifiso’s shack he would still be alive.
“My son was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Nomkhuleko.
She said she was in Eshowe when she received a phone call informing her that her son was dead.
“By the time I arrived they had already removed him from the shack. But I heard that he was burnt beyond recognition,” said Nomkhuleko.
She said she doesn’t understand why people didn’t help her son, but managed to stop the fire from spreading.
“They told me that when they saw it the flames were already big. They didn’t even hear him cry,” said Nomkhuleko.
She said they only realised there was someone in the shack when the cops arrived.
Sifiso said he doesn’t believe the fire was meant for him.
He thinks it was just an accident that could have happened to anyone.
He said he suspects that Mondli left the stove on, because he heard from neighbours that the young man was boozing with his friends before he went to sleep.
“But I can’t dispute what Mondli’s mother believes. Maybe he was hungry and wanted to warm some food but fell asleep. I can’t blame anyone for this,” said Sifiso.
Major Thulani Zwane confirmed that an inquest docket was opened at KwaMashu Police Station.
“The cause of the fire is unknown,” said Zwane.
