Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
A Mpumalanga community activist has blamed the South African government's empty promises for a shack fire that claimed the lives of two sets of twins from one family.
Provincial police reported that the fire broke out at Marikana informal settlement in Hendrina in the early hours of Monday, killing four siblings aged 8 and 13.
"The police were called to the scene where a shack was on fire. On their arrival, they indeed found that it was true. Firefighters were also called to extinguish the fire.
“Unfortunately, two sets of twins (two boys and two girls) were certified dead. It is not yet confirmed what might be the cause of the fire, but loose cables were visible on the ground, which prompted a suspicion that there may have been an illegal connection of electricity," said provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.
Mohlala said the mother of the children was not home when the incident happened.
"It is further alleged that the 33-year-old mother of the deceased, an undocumented Mozambican national, left them three days ago in the care of their 17-year-old brother. When the fire broke out, the brother tried to save the lives of his siblings but couldn't as the fire was already at an advanced stage," said Mohlala.
Police have opened an inquest docket to investigate the cause of the fire.
Community activist Kopano Dibakwane said the only sin the children committed was being born poor in a country that cared little for its people.
"The government has unashamedly prioritised corruption over the people. The poor communities are bearing the brunt of a failing state. It is horrific to watch these tragedies happen every year, especially around winter time. It goes to show the pressing need for adequate human settlement," said Dibakwane.
Dibakwane added: "Although the cause of death is yet to be confirmed, we can't ignore the fact that the government is really facing a crisis of electricity. It's clear that the capacity for power supply does not meet the growing demand. Hence people resort to dangerous measures to keep the lights on."