MMABATHO Daniels (37) is heartbroken after she lost all her family members in a shack fire last Saturday, 2 July.
Her husband Motlale Khotsho Daniels (49), sons Rebaba Letsoe (11) and Karabelo (6) died in a mysterious fire that occurred while there was no electricity on the day.
“From what I heard, the fire started from the bedroom but to my surprise there was no electricity. I had spoken to my husband and children around 7pm that day and they did not cook on the day and also didn’t use paraffin or candles. We don’t know what caused the fire that took everything from me,” she said.
According to Motlale’s mother Mirriam Daniels (59), her daughter-in-law Mabatho was in the Eastern Cape to buy building materials as they were building. She left Cape Town on Tuesday, 28 June and she was supposed to return on Sunday, 3 July.
“We were shocked to receive a call that my son had died in a shack fire together with my grandchildren. It was unbelievable because we received the call at about 11pm when we had spoken to them at around 7pm on the same night. It is very difficult to accept,” said Mirriam.
Neighbour Sizwe Nonisi (38) said he tried to extinguish the fire, but it took less than two minutes for a three- roomed shack to be eaten up by flames.
“Not even petrol is that fast. I was left helpless. Before I could do anything, the shack was already down with people inside. It was not a normal fire,” said Sizwe.
He said he was hurt that he could not help.
City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue spokesman Jermaine Carelse said: “Crews from Gugulethu, Landsdowne and Mitchells Plain were on scene with two fire engines and a water tanker. Firefighters managed to contain and extinguish the blaze just after midnight. Three informal structures were completely destroyed and a man and two male minors sustained fatal burn wounds.”
Police spokesman Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed the incident.
“Nyanga police attended a crime scene on Saturday. Upon arrival at Maplangeni Crescent at about 11.30pm, they found the Fire and Rescue on the scene, busy extinguishing the fire that damaged three shacks. Upon inspection they found the bodies of three males who sustained fatal burn wounds. The victims aged 49, 12 and 7 were declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel. Nyanga police registered an inquest for further investigation,” he said.
