They would have spent their year’s savings on New Year’s celebrations.
Instead, Sonwabo Mazala’s family will now have to spend their money on his burial.
Mazala, 25, died in a shack fire on Monday, one of seven people who died in 13 fires in the city since Friday. Almost 100 people were displaced.
The fire in Dunoon spread in Section 28 after the shack behind Mazala’s caught alight at 11pm on Monday.
Two of Mazala’s cousins, Mzimkhulu Tshali and Mzonke Charlie, said the fire spread through the informal settlement rapidly because of the strong winds.
At Section 28 on Tuesday, about 50 men, all of whom had lost their homes in the fire, worked tirelessly to reconstruct their shacks. The men demarcated the site of Mazala’s shack with structures made from wooden beams and zinc sheets.
“We won’t build anything on this spot because this is the place he died. This hurts so badly, especially over the festive season. We are not looking forward to New Year.
“We won’t celebrate because we don’t have the money. It will cost about R8 000 to send Mazala’s remains to his parents in the Eastern Cape and that is money we don’t have,” a tearful Charlie said as he beat his heart with his hand.
Tshali, who shared a shack with Mazala, said when he heard the screams and saw the fire spreading rapidly, he shouted: “There’s a fire, there’s a fire. Get out.”
Mazala, however, did not heed his call.
“I could not stay any longer, I did not even save anything. My clothes, shoes, television, ID and bank cards were all destroyed in the fire. I have nothing. I don’t know what I am going to do,” said Tshali.
Another resident, Nandipha Madyolo, described Mazala as a “good person”.
“At the time of the fire, the shack was locked and the man who lived there was out. No one knows what the cause is,” said Madyolo Zimasa Qolo, who lived close to Mazala.
“I had already bought all my daughter’s clothes and our food for Christmas and New Year. When I returned 15 minutes later after fleeing from the flames, everything was gone. My stove, microwave, my child’s stationery and clothes I spent hundreds on (are all gone).
“After the last fire in April where I also lost everything, I worked hard to get it all back.
“Now, again I have nothing. We can’t celebrate New Year,” she said.
Disaster Risk Management spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes said: “Arrangements have been made to assist victims with food parcels, clothing, blankets, building material and emergency trauma counselling.”
Emergency services can be contacted by dialling 107 from a landline. Cellphone users, dial 021 480 7700.
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