Burnt down centre for disabled needs help

The Siyabonga Stimulation Centre, at 534 WCRC Drive, is believed to have caught fire at around 8.30pm.

Owner of the centre, Ingrid Mbele, said they took care of six disabled children every day, from 8am to 4pm, doing physiotherapy and play therapy with them, but they cannot continue with that now, because everything was consumed in the fire.

“We had therapy toys, beds, a TV, radio, feeding chairs, documents… it’s all gone now,” she said

Mbele, who lives in Wattville, said she was called at 8.53pm by someone notifying her of what had happened.

“When I arrived the fire-fighters had also just arrived,” she added.

“The fire was, however, too strong and they had to leave for more water and come back.

“We do not know how or where the fire started.”

She explained that, routinely, after lunch has been prepared around noon they switch off the stove at the centre, because that is when they stop using it.

A resident living in the vicinity said another resident called her, saying there was a fire where the kitchen is and they, together with a third resident, tried to extinguish the flames, using sand and water, but they failed.

She said other members of the community came to help, but the fire was too strong to be stopped.

Caroline Nonyane, chairperson of the centre, said they will continue to be at the facility with the children.

“These kids have been with us for long now and we cannot leave them hanging,” she added.

The two women said they and their third partner, Nombuso Siko, would try to find ways to be with the children, using the kitchen area for space.

Nonyane said they need help to rebuild the centre soon, so that they can carry on with therapy for the children again.

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