attending to fire in Kagiso
29 May 2007
Gauteng Local Government MEC Qedani Dorothy Mahlangu on Monday, 28 May 2007,
expressed her deepest condolences to the bereaved Simelane family in Kagiso,
west of Johannesburg who lost three children in a devastating fire on
Sunday.
The visit took place after the MEC had a meeting with West Rand District
Municipality Mayor Faith Matshikiza, members of Emergency Services and Public
Safety and the emergency personnel who attended to the fire scene.
The family was still reeling from the shock after the fire gutted the house,
leaving three children Ofenste Molefe (10), Johnny Ngubeni (7) and Lucky
Modipane (7) dead due to suffocation and burn wounds. The three children were
asleep when the fire broke out and it was too late to save them when emergency
service personnel arrived at the scene.
The family lost all their belongings during the inferno which according to
the report was caused by a faulty electric blanket.
"We are really touched and saddened by the death of these young boys because
any loss of life, particularly in this way, is a major concern to the
Department of Local Government. We will in future together with municipalities
do our best to prevent this kind of disaster," said Mahlangu.
According to preliminary reports compiled by the Mogale City Emergency
Services and the Directorate of Public Safety, emergency personnel on the scene
did their best to extinguish the blaze and rescue the three trapped children,
but their efforts were made difficult by extreme heat and smoke billowing from
the room.
Mahlangu promised the family that she would wait for the report from the
paramedics and pathologists and report back to the family following allegations
of negligence.
She further called on communities and parents to be more cautious when using
electric appliances, candles or paraffin during the winter season.
"We must be very careful when we use all these things because people's lives
and other belongings are lost every day due to gross negligence. Let us also
warn our children not to play with fire or any other electric appliance to
avoid disasters like this in future," she added.
Mahlangu promised that the Office of the Mayor would dispatch a social
worker to attend to the bereaved family.
Matshikiza also expressed her sympathy to the family and said that the
Municipality will work together with the family to ensure that the kids get a
dignified burial.
Funeral arrangements would be made soon. The family was due to meet on
Wednesday, 30 May 2007, to brief the Gauteng Provincial Government on the
arrangements.
Enquiries:
Themba Sepotokele
Tel: 011 355 5111
Cell: 082 490 9869
Issued by: Department of Local Government, Gauteng Provincial
Government
29 May 2007
