Fire destroys athlete’s home

With less than a month to go to the last big race of the year, Grahamstown runner Mzwabantu “Rasta” Nesi is doing his best to focus on the final stages of his training, despite losing most of his possessions in a fire.

Seven weeks ago, Nesi’s home was razed and he lost his clothing, his bed, bookshelves and books, a road bike… and his running shoes.

“I really miss my running shoes,” he said. “And my Runner’s World magazines. I used to read and reread them often.”

He can’t get over the shock of seeing his I Street home − a woodand-iron structure in the yard of his parents’ house − go up in flames.

“A friend had been visiting me and when it was time to go, I accompanied him to the taxi rank,” Nesi said.

That was around 1.30pm on Monday 17 October.

“When I returned, I went into the main house.”

Next thing he heard his mother shouting for help.

“I ran outside and I just saw my house going up in flames,” he said. “It was terrible.”

Worse was that Nesi couldn’t find his five-year-old son, Indiphile.

“I was about to rush into the flames,” he said, “when I saw Indiphile standing over there by my mother’s front door,” he told Grocott’s Mail.

“He was just standing there, very still, and very quiet.”

Nesi thinks Indiphile may have been playing with a box of matches that Nesi left on his bed.

“I think so,” he said. “I think he knew he’d done something wrong.”

Since then, Nesi has been gradually cleaning up and salvaging what he could, including corrugated iron roof sheeting.

But it was too much of a shock to carry on with life as normal, and he ditched his entry to the Bonkolo Marathon in Queenstown on 5 November.

But he’s determined to participate in the PE City Marathon on 3 December.

Described in Runner’s World as a Prestige and Participation League Event, Eastern Province Championship event, it’s a qualifier for Two Oceans and Comrades.

Nesi says he’d appreciate any help he can get − whether it’s running shoes, or clothing for him and his family, or materials to rebuild his home. “I’m down at the moment,” he said. If you have one (or even better two) pairs of size 8 running shoes (used is fine), running or everyday clothes to fit Rasta, who is tall and slim, or his five-year-old son, or materials to help him rebuild his home, please contact Grocott’s Mail’s sports editor Stephen Penney at 082 468 8384 or drop off clothing or shoes for Nesi (not building materials please!) at our offices at 100 High Street.

Nesi works as a part-time street seller for Grocott’s Mail.