THE Mgawuli family in Kliptown, Soweto, is seeking help in making funeral arrangements for their loved one who died in a fire.
The family member sadly died in the fire, which started in his home, before spreading and burning down 21 other houses in Kliptown in the early hours of Monday morning, 10 October.
The family of the man, Paulos Shongwane Skhosane (57), is now requesting SunReaders to assist them with transport to go to KZN where they hope to bury him.
Family members said they received a call that there was a fire in the area on Monday at around 1am.
Paulos’ daughter, Phumla Mgawuli (29), said she rushed home at that hour and was welcomed by smoke that had engulfed Kliptown.
“I got there and saw people trying to put out the fire.
Everyone was there, but I didn’t see my father. I was told that the fire started in my home. I looked for my father and he was nowhere to be found in the crowd,” she said.
Paulos’ wife, Thobeka Mgawuli (52), told Daily Sun she left her husband at home on Friday to go and look after a relative who was not well.
“I didn’t know that it would be my last time seeing my husband. I’m hurt. I’m broken,” she said.
They said they couldn’t even go inside the house to see his remains.
“We only saw the paramedics leaving with a stretcher and a plastic. We don’t know how badly he was burnt,” said Phumla.
Thobeka described her husband as a loving person who loved dancing and entertaining people.
Joburg Emergency Management Services spokesman Robert Mulaudzi told the People’s Paper the cause of the fire was unknown at this stage.
