Hero saves three kids from fire death
CANDLE: NEIGHBOUR GRABS 3 AFTER HEARING SCREAMS
Mother out on a job as oldest daughter is tasked with looking after siblings.
Sqo Mchunu, a resident of C Section in Lindelani, north of Durban, has been hailed a hero after he saved three children trapped inside a burning shack.
Thembelihle Mazeka, 17, was looking after her younger siblings, Nhlanhla, 13, and Xolani, 9, on Sunday when a candle is believed to have fallen over while they were asleep. Thembelihle and Xolani sustained burns on their faces, arms and feet, while Nhlanhla was unharmed.
Their mother, Bongiwe Mazeka, 42, said she was looking after a neighbour’s infant baby while the mother worked night shift. “I take any piecemeal job I can get to help raise my kids. This time, I got a job that required me to leave my kids by themselves at night.”
Mazeka said another neighbour called her and told her to rush home because of a fire in her shack. When she arrived, the shack was engulfed in flames. “People told me that my neighbour, Sqo Mchunu, saved my kids after he noticed the fire. They say he heard little voices coming from the inside, asking for help,” she said.
“I am thankful to him, if it wasn’t for him, I would be grieving the tragic death of all my kids.”
Mchunu, 39, said he was on his way to a nearby spaza shop when he noticed the shack on fire. “I walked towards the shack and heard the screams of small kids. I immediately kicked the door down. I saw the kids standing just next to the door and grabbed them out quickly,” he said.
Thembelihle and Xolani were taken to a nearby clinic before being transferred to King Edward VIII Hospital, where they remain, for further treatment.
Zanele Mtshali, local leader of shack dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo, was also at the scene after the fire. Mtshali said attempts to get ward councillor Simon Khuboni to assist the family were in vain.
“We are disappointed with how the councillor chose to handle this matter. It was a tragedy that required him to come immediately or send one of his committee members, but he didn’t bother. The Mazekas had to rely on us as their neighbours for food, shelter and clothes,” he said.
Khuboni confirmed that he had not visited the family.
“I was home in the rural areas for the past few days and have just returned to Durban.
“I have notified the disaster unit within the eThekwini municipality about the tragedy.”
He also promised he would visit the family.
Mtshali said residents had been asking for electricity for years.
“The community does not have electricity, which is why the family had to resort to using the candle.”
Republished from GroundUp
I heard the screams of small kids