Memories lost in Primrose blaze
Oak Avenue resident speaks about the day her house burnt down.
“They didn’t just destroy a house, they destroyed the whole of me, I feel hollow inside.”
These are the words of Noni Nkomo speaking about the fire which burnt her Oak Avenue, Primrose home to the ground on August 30.
The GCN visited Noni at the home of her friends Joe and Lulu Khumalo, in Solheim, last Tuesday, where her and two of her children have been given refuge after the terrible incident.
Noni told the GCN how she has lost all her memories, especially those of her late husband Kenneth, who passed away 21 years ago in a car accident on Barbara Road.
“This December would have marked the 23rd year we have been in our house,” Noni said.
“I came there when I was still young, now I am 67.”
After the death of her husband, Noni raised their three children, Mandisa Monmetsi (38), Vuyo (34) and Khaya (31) on her own.
Vuyo and Khaya still live with her.
“My children went to Primrose Hill Primary and then Mandisa attended Germiston High and Vuyo and Khaya attended Dawnview High,” she said.
Noni was born in Dukathole and grew up in Katlehong.
“I was married in Katlehong and we moved to Solheim in 1991 because of all the trouble in the area,” she said.
Noni trained as a teacher and worked herself through the ranks, becoming the principal of Intokozo Primary School in Katlehong in 1992 until her retirement in 2011.
“I love teaching and always look for the potential in a child,” Noni said.
“Although I’m now retired I am sometimes fortunate enough to be able to help out at schools.”
What Noni is really interested in getting involved in is interpreting.
“I think this will be extremely interesting,” she said.
Describing the day her life was reduced to ashes, Noni told the GCN she had left her home at 10.40am and took a taxi into Primrose to do some shopping.
“I did what I needed to and then took a taxi home,” she said.
“As we approached the area, the taxi driver said it looked like there might be an accident in the area as the traffic was backed up, but as we approached the taxi driver said a house was on fire.
“I don’t know how I even managed to get out of the taxi at my home, the place was burning and there were people standing around watching.”
Noni said for some reason that day she had not locked the padlock on her gate.
“I had just hooked it so it looked locked and set the house alarm as I knew I wasn’t going to be long.
“I tried to open the gate and found a strange padlock in place of my one.
“Luckily the fire department arrived quickly and opened the gate, but there was nothing to save, the house was already burnt.
“I find it easier to cope with the loss during the day but at night I feel very sad.”
Noni added that she thanks the person or people who started the fire, as they put on a strange lock, which gives her peace of mind that she didn’t do anything to cause the fire, and also that they did not set the fire at night, which could have resulted in their deaths.
At the scene of the fire a number of racial slurs had been painted on Noni’s walls and inside her garage.
“I think they did this just to shift focus as I have a very good relationship with all my neighbours and don’t think this was a racist attack,” she said.
“This has been an event I will never forget and even if the culprits are caught it is not going to bring back the memories.”
It is going to take about six to eight months to rebuild the house.
Sgt Styles Maome, communications officer for the Primrose SAPS told the GCN that the police are investigating a case of arson.
The police are appealing to anyone who may have information which could lead to the arrest of the alleged arsonists to contact Det-Const Hendrick Mudau on 079 151 9307 or the detectives’ branch commander Lieut-Col André Jordan on 082 822 8031.
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