Central SA
Bloemfontein families who lost loved ones in fire, offered support─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 11:55 Sat, 16 Sep 2023
"The affected families were assisted with getting duplicate IDs from Home Affairs and Sassa cards which were lost in the fire."
Free State Social Development has continued to offer psychosocial support to families who lost loved ones when their homes were engulfed by fire in Bloemfontein.
On Wednesday (13/9), Free State Social Development MEC, Motshodisi Koloi, visited two families in Khayelitsha informal settlements. Spokesperson Thembile Nqabeni said on the night of 2 September 2023, the first family was awakened by an uncontrollable fire caused by a candle. The fire destroyed their shack. Three family members lost their lives while others managed to escape.
The uncontrollable fire destroyed many belongings. Photo supplied
Nqabeni said the second fire occurred a few days later in the same area. This resulted in an elderly man losing his belongings. He was fortunately not inside the shack when the fire started. The elderly man is doing well despite losing all his belongings.
Koloi called on all government departments to come together and offer aid to communities in need after such tragedies. "As the Department of Social Development we want to send our sincere condolences to families that were affected by the fires in the Khayelitsha informal settlement in Bloemfontein, Mangaung ward 17."
Mangaung Metro was requested to assist the families with the funerals. Photo supplied
Nqabeni said affected families were assisted with getting duplicate IDs from Home Affairs and Sassa cards which were lost in the fire. The department also requested the Mangaung Metro to assist with the funerals of the deceased.
