Matshangule Primary School supports destitute family

MATSHANGULE Primary School learners and teachers have come to the aid of a family of 26 who lost all their belongings in a fire which gutted their home earlier this year.

With the help of a group of learners, the school raised funds for food parcels, school uniforms and blankets which were recently handed over to the destitute Dube family in KwaDlangezwa.

School Principal Getty Malinga said she learned about the family’s troubles when educators noticed that two of the children from the family, one in Grade 2 and the other in Grade 4, had stopped coming to school. ‘I always ask the teachers to inform me if a child is absent for a long time so I can make contact with their parents or guardian,’ Malinga said.

‘In this particular instance I called one of the learner’s mother and she informed me that a fire broke out at the house in March and destroyed everything, including the children’s uniforms, and that is why they have stopped coming to school. We then decided we needed to do something to help them,’ she said.

The family of eight children and 18 adults has been battling fires at their home in KwaDlangezwa for over four years. Family member Gugu Dube (25) said they now live in fear owing to fire which she says breaks out without warning in different parts of the house.

‘There was a time where we spent seven days sleeping outside because we were scared of sleeping inside the house,’ Dube said. They have had to rebuild their home a number of times.

‘We first had a seven bedroom house which collapsed three years ago. We attempted to rebuild a two room house, but it was destroyed by a fire.

Then we built another two room and in November last year, another fire destroyed it,’ she said. She said the family is grateful for the help and support they have received from the school.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

For news straight to your phone invite us:

WhatsApp – 072 069 4169

Instagram – zululand_observer