Anger as four die in centre for disabled

'Department of Social Development should never have approved the structure'

Shock turned to anger as Khayelitsha residents blamed poor service delivery for the deaths of four people in a seven-bedroom shack that doubled as a care centre for the disabled.

Two boys aged 11 and 15, a 21-year-old man and a 14-year-old girl burnt to death yesterday, being unable to escape the premises of Zanokhanyo Educare Centre in Makhaza in time to save their lives. The names of the dead have not been released.

Another eight children were saved.

Ward councillor Mthwalo Mkutswana, who was at the scene, blamed lack of infrastructure for the deaths. Mkutswana said the area, like most informal settlements, struggled to get financial support to build appropriate structures.

"Even our allocation for councillors to improve quality of our institutions is very limited. We have a problem with institutions like creches in this area. They are built with zinc (corrugated iron) and these buildings pose a huge risk," said Mkutswana.

Caregiver Victoria Libazi said she had been changing nappies in one of the rooms when two children ran in to say the shack was on fire. She said she ran after them into a room full of smoke.

"I couldn't see anything as I scrambled to save the children."

She carried eight people out of the burning shelter, including a baby of just four months and another patient of 21.

Sub-council chairman Masizole Mnqasela echoed Mkutswana's sentiments.

"Everything is wrong, especially if children are dying. As a sub-council we have a duty to assist people in taking precautionary measures."

Mnqasela also questioned how the Department of Social Services could have approved the structure.

"Social Development has a duty not to approve structures that do not conform to building regulations. They have a monitoring role, yet that place was given the go-ahead," he said.

"They need to apply and conform to regulations as per the law, if not, shut them down," he said.

Sadness reigned as about 150 residents gathered at the corner of Hlanga and Shukuma streets where the centre had been operating since 2004.

But it was a mother of one of the dead who brought tears to many an eye, when she arrived shortly before noon.

When told that her son had died, she wailed with grief, throwing herself to the ground.

Owner of the centre, Sipho Nditha, said he suspected a gas leak had started the fire.

Nditha said the children who came from Khayelitsha and the Strand were sent to the centre by social workers because of their disabilities.

Police spokeswoman Constable Siphokazi Mawisa said police had opened an inquest docket. - Cape Argus