The civic association of Tshimbupfe, Ha-Mutheiwana, is attributing the burning down of two thatched rondavel houses at Ha-Gabara to the long delay in the electrification of their village by both the Makhado Municipality and Eskom.

The two houses caught fire a fortnight ago between 13:00 and 14:00. Mirror learnt that, when the Gabara twins, aged 11, Orifha and Takalani, arrived from school, they decided to make tea with a primus stove. While sitting outside the house drinking tea, the two began to smell smoke. According to the children’s mother, Ms Violet Gabara, during that time clothes and other goods were already burning, while the roof of the house was also collapsing. The fire is believed to have been caused by the primus stove.

She said that, by the time her twins screamed for help, the fire had already spread to her kitchen. Ms Gabara works as a domestic worker at Vuwani, while her husband is working in Gauteng.

"When the houses burned down, I was at work. I could not believe my eyes when I arrived. I am very thankful for the assistance I received from the civic association, the police, local social workers and representatives of the Makhado Municipality," she said. She confirmed that the municipality brought some food parcels last Tuesday. Presently, her children have no school uniforms. Her four children are currently using the sitting room of the remaining two-roomed house to sleep in.

The chairperson of the Mutheiwana civic association, Mr Thomas Maskhobo Mulaudzi, said that if Eskom and the Makhado Municipality had kept their promise of electrifying Tshimbupfe Central a decade ago, the houses could have not been destroyed by fire. "Our municipality has promised to electrify our village countless times since the dawn of democracy. We are worried because, when new stands were developed in our neighbouring village of Tshivhulana, home of the Municipal Manager of Makhado, they received electricity immediately," he said.

Mulaudzi said that their civic association will strive to raise donations for the Gabara family. People who want to assist the family with clothes and other things can phone Violet at 083 421 0027.

The "Minister of Blankets", Cllr Amie Chhaya, has donated a month’s supply of groceries and six blankets to the family.