The Siphuma family in Mpheni Block A are devastated after a fire gutted their house in the early hours of Sunday.

The 48-year-old Ms Esther Makuwa and her three daughters, Mukhethwa Siphuma (12), Thilivhali Siphuma (18) and Tshifularo Siphuma (14) went to sleep, but at around 03:00 Ms Makhuwa was awakened by the smell of smoke choking her. She quickly checked around her and noticed dark smoke spiralling up from the main switch box of the electricity. By then, parts of the thatched roofing started falling down in flames.

“I pulled the door open and started lifting my children and throwing them out of the door one after the other,” said Ms Makuwa. “Once I had managed to take all my children out of the burning house, I called for my neighbours to come and help me to put out the fire.”

The fire had already spread through the entire house and beds, refrigerators, clothes, food, pots and other kitchen utensils, two water pumps and a welding machine were burnt out in the fire. The family also lost identity books, birth certificates, bank cards and the school reports which the three children had just collected from the schools. “We lost R1 700 and a further R3 090 which belonged to the stokvel,” Makuwa said.

“I don't know what to say to all those 21 individuals who had been contributing to the stokvel's pocket, because they may need their money. This is an unpleasant festive season for my family.”

Ms Makuwa's spouse, Mr Freddy Siphuma (58), was away when the incident took place. “I was busy keeping an eye on my flock of goats and a herd of cattle in the fields, when my wife told me about the damage the fire had caused to our property,” said Siphuma.

Both Siphuma and Makuwa are unemployed.

Ward 15's committee member Ms Elizabeth Mushapho visited the family and arranged for the disaster department in the Makhado Municipality to help the family. “The family needs quick relief assistance,” she said. “We've also arranged for the family to re-apply for IDs and birth certificates at Makhado Home Affairs' office as a matter urgency.”