Site C resident, Patricia Hubela, opened her heart and donated clothes and blankets to fellow residents who lost their belongings when fire ravaged some parts of the neighbourhood more than two weeks ago (“Fire destroys 50 homes in Site C”, Vukani, January 18).
On Friday January 26, Ms Hubela and officers from Khayelitsha police station visited the fire victims and put some smiles on their faces.
Since the inferno, residents had been trying to rebuild their homes and lives and calling for any help they could get.
Ms Hubela said when she heard about the, fire she felt she needed to do something. She said she knew that the donation was a drop in the ocean.
She said that people no longer cared about others and had lost the spirit of Ubuntu and pointed out that one did not need to be rich to help others.
Ms Hubela said parents should practise the spirit of caring and sharing so that they set a good example for their children.
“The spirit of Ubuntu has no boundaries. We should not rejoice when other people are suffering, but instead we should extend a helping hand.
“I was taught that I need to share what I have with other people. One hand washes the other, meaning that we are inter-dependent and one can’t live in isolation. We need to go back to our roots,” she said.
Ms Hubela challenged Khayelitsha residents to be the agents of change, and to take the responsibility for improving their community, into their own hands.
Resident Sihle Kethi said he was grateful that Ms Hubela had decided to extend a helping hand to them. He said that meant there were people who had been touched by their plight. “I had no clothes and the only thing that I could save was my ID because it was in my wallet. I had no blankets and this would be helpful. I had four rooms but (with) the material that I got, I only managed to build three rooms. We want decent houses. We now live in fear that fire could break out again,” he said.
Captain Ntandazo Mncanca, said it was important for residents to reach out and help each other.
Another fire victim, Zuko Makatane, praised everyone who had opened their hearts and said without their support they would not have managed to rebuild their lives.
