‘God had a reason for taking the children’ - memorial for children burnt to death in Alexandra fire

The principal of Emfundisweni Primary School in Alexandra‚ Johannesburg‚ says blame should not be cast on the two mothers who tragically lost their four children in a fire at the weekend.

Bongiwe Ngubeni and Nelisiwe Fihlani allegedly went out drinking‚ leaving their children locked indoors at home with a 14-year-old relative.

"I don't blame Bongiwe or hate her because we don't know what led to them leaving these children‚" said Thembakazi Giyama.

She was speaking at the memorial service of the four children‚ held at a packed to capacity Thusong Youth Centre on Wednesday. Bongiwe lost three children - Amukelani Ngubeni‚ 2‚ Sandile Ngubeni‚ 4 and seven-year-old Nhlanhla Ngubeni. Nelisiwe's five-year-old daughter‚ Mbali‚ also died in the fire.

The department of social development said the children‚ who were locked indoors‚ were trapped in a burning room with a single window that was too far for them to reach. Only their teen relative survived the inferno.

Giyama said she was saddened by the tragedy‚ adding that she had just given a job to Bongiwe as a food handler and she had just received her first salary. Not referencing Bongiwe‚ Giyama said parents dumping their children was a rife occurrence.

"Parents do not care for their young children. You would find beautiful young moms‚ with fancy hairstyles‚ looking good but coming to the school to ask for shoes or jerseys for their children. The cars that they would also be driving would be fancy‚" said Giyama."

"At times you find fathers who are left with the children while the mothers have left with the SASSA card‚" she added.

Giyama hit out at social development minister Nandi Mayathula-Khoza who‚ after hearing of the tragedy‚ called on parents who were unable to care for their children to bring them to her department.

She said if anything‚ help should start at schools where children arrived without wearing underwear. "You would notice this when they play outside and they are jumping."

Giyama said God had a reason for taking the children.