LANSDOWNE
TELLING IT AS IT IS
TUESDAY 7 July 2015 | 0021 910 6500 | Fax: 021 910 6501/06 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za
Picnic in the sunshine A group of homeless people who frequent a soup kitchen in Manenberg sit down for their meal moments after receiving soup from the Moving Gospel Mission. The church hosts a weekly soup kitchen and is calling on the community to donate ingredi ents to keep the soup kitchen going. PHOTO: CHEVON BOOYSEN
LANSDOWNE
Fire takes family effects CHEVON BOOYSEN @ChevonBooysen
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family, including three young children and a teenager, are in dire straits after their home caught fire on Tuesday last week. The family lost all their possessions in the fire. The fire, which blazed on Imam Haron Road in Lansdowne, is allegedly the third fire that occurred at the Club Royale premises in recent months. Lansdowne police spokesperson Sergeant Nkululeko Mnyaka says the police were notified of the fire at 21:30. “According to the complainant, her fouryear-old son came to tell her that there was a fire in the room,” Mnyaka explains. After she was able to look further in the
room, it was found the fire started from the little boy’s bed. “It was believed that the boy was playing with a candle alone in the room, which caused the fire. Fire fighters were on the scene and extinguished the fire,” Mnyaka says. No injuries were sustained during the incident. News of the fire spread rapidly on social media and the community was urged to band together to help the family who are in need after they lost their possessions. The four-year-old boy’s siblings are a 12year-old girl, a 14-year-old girl and a 17-yearold boy. According to a community member, Noel Crowie, the family was temporarily relocated to another home in Imam Haron Road
while their place is repaired. “The immediate needs of the family are non-perishable food items, soap, toothpaste, warm clothing as well as bedding. The children also need school clothes and material,” Crowie says. He confirms donations have been received but they are “only trickling in”. Another resident, who requested to remain anonymous, says last week’s fire at the building has been the third fire she knows of in recent months. “It’s so weird because it keeps hitting at the same address. I’m just glad nobody was hurt during the fire. Things could have been so much worse, ” she says. She is concerned that children are left alone with open flames in their rooms, which is dangerous.
“I know it can be difficult sometimes, especially with loadshedding occurring. Families need to light candles, but to leave your child unsupervised with an open flame is asking for trouble,” she says. “Sometimes children are also naughty and they play with matches and candles in the house. Parents must make especially sure that after they are done using these items they store it out of reach of their young children. It’s very easy for them to get up to mischief,” she continues. Mnyaka confirms a report was created with the Lansdowne police for record purposes. V Donations for the family can be dropped off at 47 Range Road, Kenwyn or call 083 409 6774. V What are your thoughts? Starting with the word “Post”, SMS your views to 32516. SMSes cost R1.