Angelo fire victims receive donations
Following a blaze that destroyed shacks in Angelo informal settlement on Monday, September 9, New Beginnings Care Centre and the Boksburg SAPS visited the area to lend a helping hand.
Members of the centre, accompanied by Lieut-Col Elsey Mashinini and Lieut Mathanda Ngobese went to Angelo on the day of the fire to assist victims in distress by donating clothing, blankets, food parcels and other necessities.
Members of the Boksburg SAPS alerted New Beginnings Care Centre to the need for donations.
“We couldn’t fold our arms, so we decided to help,” says Ngobese.
Maurice Mhlanga (33), who lost his home in the fire, said the food provided by the donors would “help a lot”.
“I can now work on rebuilding my shack with full stomach,” he says.
Mhlanga adds that when the fire broke out at about 1.30am, he was asleep and was woken up by a smell of smoke.
“My shack was filled with smoke, when I checked outside I saw flames and I fled.”
All that Mhlanga was left with was the clothes that he was wearing.
“The fire was out of control. It took a few minutes for all the shacks to be razed.
“There was no way to get in. All my belongings, including my groceries and money, was burnt to ashes. I don’t know where I’m going to sleep tonight,” he says.
Forty-one shacks were burnt to ashes and more than 50 people were left homeless after their shacks were gutted by the fire.
The Advertiser visited the area again on Tuesday morning, and noticed that victims did not have a place to stay, and they had to ask neighbours, friends and families for shelter. Some were busy trying to rebuild their shacks.
Others were accommodated at Thandazile Ngubeni’s Day Care Centre.
Community leaders say they informed the city’s Disaster Risk Management Centre about the incident.
Community leaders also appeal to local business people to assist the families with building materials, food parcels, blankets and other necessities.
