Picture: A fire-fighter extinguishes fire/Generic
By BAKANG MOKOTO
14 October 2024- The North West MEC for Social Development, Sussana Dantjie is fast-tracking relief efforts for a Robega pensioner, whose shack was gutted by fire on Wednesday afternoon last week. Dantjie said the raging fire destroyed the pensioner’s three roomed shack, leaving him displaced without the furniture, clothes, identity document (ID) and other important amenities.
She further said it is alleged that the fire was caused by an electrical fault.
“On Thursday, we deployed a team of social workers from our department’s Rustenburg based office to provide psychosocial support in the form of trauma counselling to the pensioner and compile a home circumstance report.
“I thank God-Almighty that the pensioner is alive. I express my profound thanks to all the stakeholders, who have worked tirelessly to intervene in the plight of this pensioner in collaboration with our department,” said Dantjie.
She added the interventions are ongoing. Dantjie said their stakeholders have already delivered blankets, mattresses and clothes to the affected family.
“Social relief of distress in the form of food parcels has already been delivered to the affected family. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has also issued a voucher worth R2100 to the pensioner. The local residents have also brought groceries and cements to the pensioner, who is currently staying in a nearby shack.
“We call on community members to continue to take care of the elderly in their areas and to learn more about fire prevention and safety measures to avert property destruction and untimely loss of life,” she said.
Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies are still doing the investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire.
The Guardian 