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Kosovo shack dwellers in Samora Machel are grieving after one of their neighbours died in a shack fire on Thursday 28 October.
At least 34 shacks caught fire at C section and left more than 90 people homeless.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Bulelwa Mhlebi is one of the victims. She says she lost everything.
“The fire started at 07:00. I was in a taxi to work when I received a call from my neighbour informing me about it.
“Immediately I informed my boss and on my arrival at Bellville I took another taxi back to Samora. I arrived here after 08:00 but my shack was already down,” said Mhlebi.
All her belongings, including the clothes, were destroyed by the inferno.
“The sad part is that the City is not assisting us with (building) material. We have to hustle to get material to rebuild our shacks,” she said
She added that since the incident she has been staying with a friend.
Another shack fire victim, who identified himself as Majola, said it is not the first time the area has been affected by shack fire.
“Two years ago more than 15 shacks burned down but no one died. We are living in fear here. We can die anytime,” said Majola, adding they were unsure what the deceased was doing when the fire broke out.
“I was preparing to go to work. I heard people screaming outside ‘Fire! Fire!’
“When I went outside I saw smoke coming out from the shack of the deceased. We tried to destroy her shack to curb the fire from spreading to other shacks but we failed because of the big wind,” he said, adding that the deceased was still screaming inside for help.
Majola said he is still haunted by the deceased’s voice although he did not know her.
“That lady was not the owner of that shack. She had not even been here for a week.
“I don’t know her. I don’t know where the owner of that shack is,” said Majola.
When the City Vision visited the area on Saturday 30 October displaced owners were trying to rebuild their shacks while others were sitting hoping for a miracle to happen so that they could rebuild their homes.
Samora Machel station commander Col Elliot Lingani confirmed the incident.
He said an inquest docket has been opened.
More than 30 shacks were destroyed by the fire, added Lingani.
“An adult woman died in the shack fire. The police are trying to trace the family of the deceased woman,” he said.
