Ga-Rankuwa family seeks help after losing everything in fire
She said the cause of the fire is currently unclear but electricity had come on and off a few minutes before the fire started.
A Ga-Rankuwa family of six is asking for help after losing everything in a shack fire on Sunday evening, July 17.
The eldest child, Siyamthanda Mini (21) told Rekord that the fire was spotted by her nine-year-old brother around 19:30.
She said the cause of the fire is currently unclear but electricity had come on and off a few minutes before the fire started in the bedroom she shared with her sister then spread to the rest of the house.
“We are really devastated as a family because we never thought we would lose everything in less than an hour,” she said.
“My parents are heartbroken but they are honestly trying to remain strong for the sake of their children.”
Her parents had been trying to extinguish the fire with buckets of water before the metro firefighters arrived.
She said even though the fire was strong, the family managed to save their personal documents from burning to ashes.
“We lost everything we had. Our furniture and clothes have been reduced to ashes as we speak,” she said.
Siyamthanda lives with her parents and three younger siblings aged 9, 10 and 17.
She fears that the incident may have a negative impact on the mental health of her siblings, more especially the 17-year old who is currently in her matric year.
She said it was hard to tell how the fire impacted her siblings because they are still young and don’t show much emotion.
“My sister, who is in matric, said she is ready to go back to school but I was not sure if she was really mentally ready for that,” she said.
Members of the community have since shown support and solidarity with the family.
“The community has helped us rebuild our home but it is not yet finished,” she said.
“I feel like we have a family in the community. If it wasn’t for them, our house would have still been in ashes as we speak.”
She said the community have also helped with donations of food, clothes and money.
Siyamthanda and her siblings are currently staying at her mum’s friend’s house while her parents are at her aunt’s house.
She said the family will only return to their home after it has been fully rebuilt and in good condition to live in.
The family is asking for donations of any kind to help them get back on their feet.
She said anyone interested in helping should contact them on 068 060 4929.
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