Traumatised and Now Homeless Family Lost Everything in Fire

• A Limpopo family blamed load shedding for their house being gutted by a fire, and are calling for Eskom to pay for their losses
• The fire left the family with nothing as all their valuables, such as identity documents, children’s birth certificates, clothes and food, were burned to ashes
• The Mathelemusa family told Briefly News that three children, aged 12, eight, and three, are currently not attending school due to not having school uniforms and books

The Mathelemusa family’s six-roomed house in Limpopo’s Mphego village, outside of Thohoyandou, burnt down on the evening of Thursday, 15 May, just a few minutes after two hours of loadshedding. The distraught family couldn’t rescue any valuables from the house, which now resembles a shadow of its old self.

The Limpopo family has been left homeless after the fire ripped through their family's house. In an interview with Briefly News, the family said they are still battling to come to terms with what has befallen them.

Family blames loadshedding for the fire

Akonaho Mathelemusa, the family spokesperson, told Briefly News they believe that load shedding is the cause of their suffering and that Eskom should compensate them.

“Had it not been for loadshedding, we would not be experiencing the situation we are currently facing at the moment.

“Loadshedding is the cause of our sufferings, and it is so painful. Our house burnt down due to loadshedding,” Mathelemusa claimed.

Mathelemusa said they have already lodged a formal complaint with Eskom offices in Malamulele.

“Our preliminary investigations, which we conducted as a family, show us that the fire was caused by electricity, and our house never had any electrical faults before the fire.

“That’s why we are saying that loadshedding is the cause of the fire. We have already complained at the Eskom offices, but we are yet to receive feedback,” said Mathelemusa.

Mathelemusa added that they currently do not have a place to call home and have been accommodated by family members. The children have not been able to go to school due to either.

Children bearing the brunt

“We are faced with a very traumatising situation. Imagine having a fully furnished house and the next moment you have nothing besides the clothes you were wearing.

“The worst part is the children have not been able to go to school due to not having uniforms and other essentials,” Mathelemusa added.

Eunice Munyai, who resides two houses away from the burnt Mathelemusa house, said that she was woken up by children screaming and rushed to the scene to witness what was going on.

“I am just glad that all the people are safe and sound, but it is so painful for a human being to lose something they spent so many years building.

“That house was so beautiful, and for it to be burnt to ashes just like that is so painful.

“I just hope and wish that the family gains courage and inspiration to rebuild it in the near future,” Munyai said.

Mathelemusa said they are still shocked and do not know what their near future will look like, as no one is permanently employed. They do not know if they will be able to rebuild the house.

“We are yet to sit down and map a way forward, as we are still traumatised.

“It will take some time for us to process everything which just transpired. Even in terms of food, we are surviving through the hand-outs we are getting from the public,” she said.

Attempts to get comment from Eskom in Limpopo failed.

3 More stories about tragic fires

• Briefly News previously reported that South Africans were horrified after six family members died in a shack fire in KwaThema, Ekurhuleni.
• The South African Police Service arrested a young couple in Reitz, Free State, after they left their children in their shack while they went out drinking.
• A City of Cape Town firefighter was injured during the city's efforts to contain the Table Mountain blaze.

Source: Briefly News