City extends helping hand to shack fire family

23 January 2017

 

The City of Johannesburg has reached out to a grieving Snake Park, Soweto, family whose three children were burnt to death in a raging shack fire in the early hours of Wednesday January 18.

 

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development Cllr Nonhlanhla Sifumba visited the distraught family in Bramfischerville on Friday January 20 to convey heartfelt condolences on behalf of Executive Mayor Cllr Herman Mashaba and the City.

Cllr Sifumba said what happened was “very tragic”.

“I cannot begin to understand the pain you are going through,” said Cllr Sifumba. She added that the City would assist the bereaved Mokoena family in any way possible to make the burial process painless in line with its Social Burial Policy.

The children – Kamogelo, 5, Boitumelo, 3, and 11-month-old Kutlwano – were asleep with their parents when their shack caught fire. The parents survived the blaze.

A City of Johannesburg social worker was sent to the family home shortly after the horrific incident to ascertain what they required to ease their pain and suffering.

“It’s so touching that so many people responded to it. As the City, we are ready to offer any support that the family might require from us,” said Cllr Sifumba.

The children will be buried on Thursday January 26. Cllr Sifumba said leading funeral undertaking group Avbob had also come forward to assist the family.

“We wanted to hear from the family what kind of assistance they would like from us so we don’t duplicate resources,” she said.

The City’s Social Burial Policy, which came into effect 11 years ago, is aimed at lessening the pain of impoverished residents who have lost their loved ones and ensuring that they bury them in dignity.

Cllr Sifumba said the City would intensify its fire safety campaigns to ensure that residents know what they need to do in case of an emergency.

“We need to do more to empower people with the right information, especially those who live in areas that are prone to fires,” concluded Cllr Sifumba.