Help for Browns Farm fire victims

There was a sense of relief among victims of a Browns Farm shack fire when they received blankets, food hampers, mattresses and toiletries from an NGO and church, last Friday.

Ilitha Labantu and The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints donated the goods to some of the more than 350 people who lost their homes to a fire that destroyed 130 shacks on Sunday December 3.

Nosibusiso Qokelwa, who lost everything in the fire, said it was relief knowing she could spend her January salary on rebuilding her three-room shack without having to worry about how she was going to afford food.

“I have no words to describe how much I feel about this donation because these groceries will last me until the end of the month.

‘’The little salary that I will get for January will be able to cover the basic needs of rebuilding my house.

“I still have to buy furniture and so on, but the most important thing now is to ensure that a structure is erected nicely. May the good Lord continue to bless these two organisations for what they have done for us."

Ludwe Nkomo, from Ilitha Labantu, said they had felt obliged to extend a helping hand and that as an organisation that operated in the township, they understood the hardships people faced when they lost their homes to fire.

Church representative Matu Mwaipopo said it was heart-warming seeing the smiles on the faces of those they had helped.