Burns survivor Loide Ndemueda, a Grade 10 pupil at Greenside High School, took it upon herself to help about 80 families who lost everything in a Kya Sands squatter camp fire.
The forthright teenager said she has never forgotten her roots and the ordeal she went through. “I was burned in an intentionally-set fire in 2010 and I bear the scars ‘til this day.”
She was trapped in a fire that burned 17 children, of whom 10 died. One of the youngest to die was her sister, then aged nine.
Ndemueda’s burn injuries brought her to Auckland Park, where she was taken in by Bronwen Jones, founder of Children of Fire.
She has been through repeated surgeries to try to restore function to her hands.
“My life is back on track now,” she said and it is all due to the kindness of others. “That is why I relate to people who have lost everything in winter fires,” she added.
Ndemueda finds ways to help wherever she can.
“Loide also goes every Sunday to a nearby squatter camp to teach children how to read… she is an amazing little girl… she is the silver lining to the cloud,” said Jones.
Ndemueda along with the Children of Fire took disaster recovery bags to the displaced Kya Sands residents.
According to ward 96 Councillor Matome Mafokwane, the fire broke out on the night of June 14 – caused by an intoxicated person probably trying to make food.
About 80 families were affected but no one was injured or killed.
“There is a lot of work and hopefully within a week the community will be up and running. We also need new innovative ways to prevent these types of fires,” commented Mafokwane.
“We thank every man and woman that came in their numbers to help. If it was not for those who helped and continue to help, I don’t know where we would be right now,” he added with gratitude.
The Gauteng human settlements and co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Jacob Mamabolo said fires needed to be reduced in informal settlements throughout the province.
He said residents should be more alert, as it was much easier for shack fires to spread in small areas.
Joburg Emergency Management Services spokesperson Nana Radebe urged residents to reduce fires by exercising caution when using gas, paraffin and other forms of heating during winter.
