No water to extinguish shack fire
A DEVASTATING fire has left a family in Phomolong Extension homeless after their four-room shack was destroyed.
Residents noticed the blaze at around 10am on Wednesday while they awaited a delegation from Sol Plaatje Municipality and the Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) for a community meeting.
The community had been engaged in a two-day protest, barricading the R31 road to Barkly West and other major roads. The protests were sparked by the recent electricity cut-off by Sol Plaatje Municipality.
The fire started while the shack owner was at the clinic, busy with the process of applying for an old age pension grant.
Residents were left frustrated as they were unable to extinguish the fire due to a lack of water. They also claimed that the fire brigade arrived at the scene without water.
Attempts to douse the flames with sand also proved ineffective, leaving the community helplessly watching the shack burn.
A community representative, Thapelo Matlhaba, expressed disappointment that the delegation had not arrived earlier to witness the dire situation and the lack of basic services.
“We were waiting in the street when we noticed a cloud of smoke and someone shouted that the shack is on fire,” said Matlhaba. “But the problem here is that nobody could do much because none of the neighbours had a tap. We tried to extinguish the fire with soil, but it didn’t help.
“The most painful part is that when the fire brigade finally came, they had no water. The poor guy, who has been fighting for services along with us, now has to start from scratch after enduring so many years fighting for a better life.”
Matlhaba noted that this was the fourth shack fire in the area within a year and a half.
Pastor Hottie Mokopelwa was at the clinic when he received a devastating call informing him that his home was on fire. The blaze destroyed everything, including all his and his wife’s clothes.
He could not think of anything that could have started the fire.
Mokopelwa recounted his morning, stating, “I left at around 8.45am … I did not cook, use the iron, or any electrical appliance except the kettle before I left. The kettle was working properly and even switched itself off as usual.”
He said he received the alarming call at around 11am and immediately caught a taxi to rush home, only to find his shack engulfed in flames.
“I feel so helpless because the clothes I am wearing are the only thing that I currently have. I had valuable items and new appliances, which all went up in flames,” he said sadly.
Unemployed and awaiting pension approval, Mokopelwa faces the daunting task of starting over from scratch. “I don’t even know where to start because my pension has not even been approved yet,” he lamented.
Mokopelwa expressed hope for positive news from the municipality when he approaches them for assistance.
“The delegation inspected the scene during the community meeting yesterday and asked me to see them today. I leave the situation in God’s hands, hoping for something positive. I don’t even know where to start after spending so many years building a decent home,” he said.
Sol Plaatje municipal spokesperson Thabo Mothibi asserted that “nothing went wrong” and that the fire engine used was in perfect working condition.
Mothibi reported that the fire station received the call at 10.25am and the fire engine arrived at 10.44am. “Pump 1 [the fire engine] was used to extinguish the fire with the hose reel. We finished at 11.26am,” he stated.
