The Sibuda family of Mbaleni outside Thohoyandou, who is still struggling to come to terms after the death of four family members in an inferno, received a shoulder to lean on, following the visit by Vhembe Executive Mayor Falaza Mdaka.

The family lost their loved ones during a fire, which is believed to have been caused by a candle.

The mayor, who was in the company of Thulamela Mayor Khosi Vho Thivhulawi Makumbane, local ward councillor Norah Thifheli Mphaphuli, Mr Magwdzha Mphaphuli, the Raluswielo ANC branch secretary, many from the ANC Women’s League, Youth League, the local senior traditional leader, Vho Thovhele Gole Mphaphuli and his entourage, visited the family to console them.

Ms Annah Sibuda (37), the mother, Zwannda (8) who was a Grade 4 pupil at Mbaleni Primary, Given (13) also a pupil at Mbaleni Primary, and Joyce (17) a Grade 5 pupil at Mmbara, were all found dead in one room. The position in which they were found indicates that they had fled their room to their mother’s room after realizing that their own room was on fire.

Mayor Mdaka said the incident is more of a disaster, as the family had been wiped out. “Our municipality has been declared one of the disaster areas by the national government, because of the massive damage caused by the continued floods, but this is a disaster of another kind as lives were lost. We are going to see to it that the deceased get a decent funeral and we will be in constant touch with the family in this regard," he said.

Mdaka blamed the scourge of crime, more especially ritual murders, which has hit the community like a plague. “We have been to other countries where people leave their cars wide open in the night and find them intact the following day. Here, one has to lock everything and make sure that doors and burglar doors are locked. If it were not for this, the family would be still be alive today," he said. He urged everyone to help the police in fighting crime and to speak out about it, so as to expose criminals and make villages unpleasant for thugs.

The mayor of Thulamela, under whose jurisdiction the area falls, said his municipality was saddened by the untimely and gruesome death that befell the family. “We are here to give a helping hand and urge you to seek strength from God, who is our Saviour. Let us not blame God for what happened. The time had arrived that they should go and all of us here will have to follow one day but in different ways,” he said.

On behalf of the family, Muvhuso Matsila said the family was greatly encouraged to see that people of higher offices were coming to be with the family. “It is very comforting to see the executive mayor of the district and the mayor of Thulamela. We can now feel that we are not alone, but we have friends and relatives on whose shoulders we can lean,” he said.