UPDATE: Tears turn to gratitude
Dismay turned to gratitude when the community of Benoni pledged their support for nine people who lost their home in a fire.
A house in Crystal Park, on Sigma Place, was ravaged by a fire on the morning of July 13.
Balekane Kekana (17) was hysterical when she arrived at her house on the morning of the incident.
She was studying English and life sciences at the Crystal Park home of her friend, Tshwarelo Pelo, when she received a phone call informing her that her home was burning.
She walked onto the property through a gap in the boundary wall, that had been broken down by the community to allow fire services access to the property.
The Crystal Park High School matric pupil cried uncontrollably and was comforted by friends, family and Crystal Park CPF member Gary Pratt.
According to Tony Kekana (15), who is Balekane’s brother, and was in the house at the time, he was sitting in the lounge with two children, when they smelled fire.
“We tried to look for what was burning in the house,” he told the City Times.
Tony said he saw a fire in one of the rooms and the four people in the house at the time vacated it.
The Petit High School pupil said they took the hosepipe, broke open a window and sprayed water into the room where the fire was seen, but their efforts to extinguish the flames were futile.
“I feel very disappointed in life, I feel like I have lost everything: my clothes, school books – which are my most valued belongings,” he said on July 13.
“My holiday is already ruined.
“It feels like I have to start over; it is the middle of the year.”
Balekane later calmed down enough to talk to the City Times.
“It is very bad, I lost everything,” the emotional girl said.
“I wanted to make my mother proud.
“I wanted to study bio-medical engineering, but now everything is gone.”
Since the ordeal, a collection point for donations has been set up at the Spar in the Rynfield Terrace Shopping Centre, the same place where Loretta Manamela, who lived in the house that burned down, works.
UPDATE: Community rallies to support fire victims
The business also allowed the family to sell boerewors rolls (which started on July 16) for the next four Saturdays.
The proceeds will go to the family.
Several other businesses, including Pick n Pay Oakfields and Rynfield Drapers and Outfitters extended their support.
“I want to thank the community so, so much,” said Manamela.
“I do not know what to say, I am so thankful and I hope God blesses them for what they have done.”
The family have been living with family nearby.
The cause of the fire is not known.
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