Oomama bathatha imbeko ukuze bakhe ubomi kwakhona emva kwamatyotyombe omlilo angama-36 kwindawo yokuhlala yaseBekhela
Indoda enye ifumene amanxeba okubethwa ngumlilo kwintlekele yezindlu ezitshileyo eBekhela informal settlement eDunoon, ngoLwesine umhla we-10 Epreli, apho izindlu ezingama-36 zitshile zashiya abantu abayi-150 bengenamakhaya.
Umbutho wenzululwazi Gift of the Givers uqale ukunika ukutya kube kanye ngemini ukusukela ngoLwesine, kwanikezela neengubo kwabo bachaphazelekayo kulo mlilo.
Ukusukela kulo mhla, uninzi lwabantu abachaphazelekayo baye bacoca iindawo zabo baze balungisa iishethi ze-zinki ezitshileyo ukuze bazisebenzise ekwakheni kwakhona.
Abanye baye bayokuthetha neevenkile zezixhobo zokwakha ukuze bafumane izinto ezifana nama-zinki, izikhonkane kunye nemithi ngokuthatha ngetyala. Endaweni yokwakha izindlu zabo zangaphambili ezaziphakathi kwamagumbi amaninzi, ngoku bakha igumbi elinye lokuhlala okwethutyana ngelixa bezama ukufumana imali yokwakha ngokutsha.
Le ndawo, ekwicala elingaphaya kwe-N7 kufuphi neRichwood, inabantu abaninzi kakhulu, nto leyo eyenza kube nzima ukwakha kwakhona.
UKhayakazi Maphila, oneminyaka engama-41, ngumama wabantwana ababini abancinci abaneminyaka emibini kunye ne-19. Indlu yakhe yamagumbi amathathu – equka amagumbi okulala amabini kunye negumbi lokuphumla elidibeneyo nekhitshi – yatshabalala ngokupheleleyo.
Ngexesha lo mlilo, uMaphila wayesebenza eClaremont, logama umyeni wakhe wayephumile efuna umsebenzi wesikhashana, ngoxa abantwana besesikolweni. Bonke babuyela ekhaya bafumanisa ukuba yonke into itshile. “Isazisi somyeni wam, amakhadi esibhedlele kunye nezatifikethi zokuzalwa zabantwana zitshile. Siphulukene nayo yonke into,” utshilo uMaphila.
Uthe unyanzelwe ukuxoxa neevenkile zokwakha ukuze afumane izinto zokwakha ezifikelela kwi-R4,500 ngetyala. Ukongeza, ufumene ibhedi enkulu kwivenkile yefanitsha nge-R3,500 ngetyala. Umakhi awuqeshe ukumakhela igumbi elinye – ukuphela kwendlela yokuhlalisa intsapho yakhe – uye wacela i-R1,500 kwaye uvumile ukuhlawulwa kamva xa sele enayo imali.
Inkokheli yoluntu uZanele Nkohla uthe abantu abayi-150 baphulukene namakhaya emva kokuba umlilo utshabalalise izindlu ezingama-36.
Isithethi seSebe loMlilo neNcedo eSixekweni saseKapa uJermaine Carelse uthe balufumene umnxeba malunga nomlilo ngo-11:50 kusasa ngoLwesine, xa umlilo ubesakhasela ezi zindlu.
UCarelse uthe indoda yonzakeleyo yaphathwa ngamadokotela esiza, kwaye akubikwanga kuthe gqolo kufeni. Imbangela yomlilo ayikaziwa.
Kodwa uthe “amapolisa enza uphando” abizelwe kwisiza kuba “abanye babahlali baqalile ukonakalisa imibhobho yomlilo, nto leyo eyenze kwaba nzima kakhulu kuma-fire fighters ukwenza umsebenzi wabo.”