Help pours in for Ntshintshi family
Ikhaya Lami, a non-profit organisation and City of Cape Town mayor, Dan Plato have both responded to the impassioned plea of the Ntshintshi family for help to cover the burial costs of their two children who died in a fire on Saturday January 9.
Mr Plato together with the mayco member for energy, Phindile Maxhithi visited the bereaved family on Friday January 15, and promised to assist the family through the mayoral fund.
Mr Plato informed the family that through his mayoral fund he would take care of the burial costs while Ikhaya lami rebuilt the family’s shack.
He also handed over a food parcel and toiletries and said he hoped that through his assistance the family could have some sense of relief.
“I’m just doing the little that I can to assist the family. The fund caters for children under the age of 18. I know there is nothing we could do to bring back the children but the least that we could do is to give these children a dignified burial.
“I pray that they find strength and healing during this difficult time in their lives,” he said.
Family member, Nobantu Ncapayi, expressed her gratitude for the assistance.
"We don’t feel that we are alone in this journey. The support that we are receiving from everyone is suprising. I don’t have words to thank each and every one who has played their part in supporting us in this difficult journey.
“From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you ukwanda kwaliwa ngumthakathi,” she said.
Community liaison officer at Ikhaya lami, Phumezo Ntsibanto, said the organisation, which was established in 2006, aimed to develop and implement affordable technical solutions for informal settlement upgrading.
He said parts of their job is assist communities in doing what their call re-blocking of informal structures to help prevent widespread devastation when there are fires in informal settlements.
However, he said, they also assist families with fire resistant materials to rebuild their shacks when their homes are destroyed by fires.
When they heard about what had happened in this family, he said, they felt the need to assist.