Couple’s things in ashes after fire ravages house
AN ELDERLY couple from New Life near Reeston was left devastated when their new RDP home went up in flames.
Nokwayintombi Meqe, 59, said she was left with only a few items of clothing to her name.
Meqe, who lives with her 72-yearold partner, said the incident happened yesterday after she had placed her cellphone on charge.
“I came here with three friends. I charged my phone on top of the fridge then went out to visit a neighbour. I was shocked to find out people saying my house was on fire. I couldn’t believe it,” she said.
Meqe said it took only 10 minutes for her house to be engulfed in flames. House appliances and furniture valued at about R25 000 were lost in the fire, according to Meqe.
Buffalo City Metro (BCM) fire department inspector Jerome Naidoo confirmed the cause of the fire was the house’s electric box.
“The cause of the incident was electrical.
“The whole electric box was burnt,” said Naidoo.
Meqe said they’d had problems with the electric box before this, which she had reported to BCM.
A neighbour, Nomathemba Totolo, said two electric boxes had exploded.
Another community member, Sibabalwe Tyulu, said they had alerted BCM to the electricity issues in the area on numerous occasions.
However, metro spokesman Samkelo Ngwenya said the municipality had no record of those reports.
“We’ve checked our records and nothing of this nature has been reported,” he said.
Ngwenya urged people to make sure they were given a reference number when they reported electrical faults, saying it made tracking of the issue much easier.
BCM human settlements inspector Sandi Diphu said the family should visit their offices in order to receive temporary placement.
“We know what they went through is horrible so I advise them to come here for assessments so a temporary housing process can be started,” said Diphu. —