Seven bodies of the elderly who passed on at Pieter Wessels Old age home in Dunnattor following an inferno on Sunday night have been identified at Heilderburg government mortuary and will soon be released to families for burial.
There are currently 11 unrecognisable bodies remaining at the mortuary and DNA tests have been performed. The results will be released in about three weeks and then the bodies will be released to the families for burial.
Currently, 22 people have died as a result of the fire that broke out on Sunday night and about 40 residents of the home were injured. The first 18 passed on at the scene while the other passed at Pholosong and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic hospitals later on.
The survivors have since been moved to Zanele Mbeki Home in Dunnattor and Nigel old age home. The Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development has also invited the Department of Home Affairs officials and South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to assist the residents with identification documents that were destroyed during the fire.
The department will continue to provide counseling and support to the survivors and the families of the deceased.
MEC Qedani Mahlangu would like to thank community members and business people who responded swiftly and came forward with donations including food, clothes and blankets.
Donations of food and clothes are still required and they can be dropped off at Zanele Mbeki Home.
Financial donations can be deposited to:
Account name: TC Adra
Bank: ABSA
Account number: 1001390755
Branch code: 334143
reference: P Wessels FCC.
You can also contact:
Louis Gouws
Tel: 016 342 0308
Cell: 082 496 4944.
Enquiries:
Mandla Sidu
Cell: 082 773 9013
