Nontombi Giyani says her family has been left homeless and without their possessions after a fire ripped through her RDP home.
A SCHOOL jersey, a wash basin and a handbag were all that was left of the Giyani household after a fire ripped through their RDP house on Monday morning. Nontombi Giyani told of how her family lost everything in the blaze, which has left her with a shell of a home.
Her house was completely gutted by the fire, which began in her distribution board and quickly spread to the rest of the structure. Residents of the informal settlement helped put out the fire using buckets, basins and whatever they could find – they battled the blaze for more than an hour.
Nontombi and her children, aged six and 12, were visiting her mother’s house when the fire started.
“We’ve lost everything. My children’s school clothes and all our shoes, which were under our bed, were the first things to be burned. We are just so devastated. My ID, handbag and SASSA card, which we rely on for a grant, were also burned, as well as the children’s medication.
Nontombi Giyani says members of the community helped put out the fire.
The shell of the home remains but the Giyani family have lost everything.
The fridge and the cabinet were also damaged in the fire.
All of the family’s shoes were burnt to a cinder.
“While we were visiting my mother I heard people screaming that there was a fire. I looked outside the window and spotted our home engulfed in flames. We broke down the door and tried to save what we could, but only managed to save a school jersey, which is part of son’s school uniform, an empty handbag and a wash basin. I was just praying outside for God to stop the fire,” the distraught 43-year-old said.
Giyani said her neighbours used whatever they could to put the fire out. The fire has also damaged the asbestos roofing of the house.
