Veld fire leads to destruction of plot home
The community of Benoni has again rallied behind people in need, this time coming to the aid of four people who lost their home in Zesfontein.
A veld fire started on the corner of Meerkat and Dassie streets, at around 2pm on August 28.
Before long, it had spread to a house occupied by Hennie (66) and his wife, Anna Smit.
Hennie’s sister-in-law, Leonora Opperman, was also in the house at the time of the fire.
A boarder who also stays in the home was not home at the time of the fire.
Hennie told the City Times the two women woke him up and told him the grass is on fire.
The 66-year-old managed to remove his Ford Sierra out of the fire’s path, but that was all he could save.
The fire damaged most of the home’s interior; destroying personal documents, furniture, electronics, amongst others.
When asked how he feels about losing all his belongings, Hennie said: “I can’t describe it, we have so little.”
Before long, the Crystal Park and Benoni Community Policing Forums (CPF) came to the aid of the family.
Paul Raley of the Crystal Park CPF said the family have been given accommodation by a community member and that donations to replace the family’s lost items have started streaming in.
No injuries were reported.
