TWO FAMILIES HOMELESS AFTER WILDFIRE

NHLANGANO – Two families have been left in the cold after their houses were razed to the ground by a wildfire.
The incident happened at Mageza, Mhlosheni in the Shiselweni Region. The wildfire, according to one of the affected families, seemed too far during the day but it kept moving closer.
Clement Dlamini, one of those affected by the fire, shared that he saw the fire approaching his yard and raised the alarm to one of his neighbours. He said he and two men who came to assist him, tried to put out the fire but failed.A tractor, a rondavel and a kitchen caught fire at Dlamini’s homestead. He stated that he was still trying to calculate the extent of the damage.

devastated

“I don’t even know how knowing the cost of damage is going to help me recover my property,” he said. Dlamini said he was devastated by the fire, as his livestock was also affected in the process. He said the grazing land was also burnt adding that they did not even know if the livestock survived. By the time of going to print, Dlamini said they were still in the mountains searching for the livestock. He said the people who started the fire should be brought to justice. On the other hand, relatives of the owner of the other homestead that was burnt, shared that the owner is still reeling from shock. They requested that she be afforded time to come to terms with what transpired as he lost everything. It was said that her house had grass roofing. Everything inside the house was burnt down and the only thing she could reportedly save was a horse and her dogs.

distance

According to one of her employees, they talked about the fire when it was at a distance, as the owner asked how far it was. He said they concluded that it was far and would not get to them not knowing that the fire was raging. He said he received a call from a neighbour, who told him that the fire was getting close and he tried to mobilise people to put out the fire but they failed. He stated that they could not save anything at all from the fire and the owner was only left with the clothes she was wearing. “This is a setback for her and she is currently being sheltered, as she has nowhere to go,” said the relative.

It was gathered that the Eswatini National Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services (ENFRES) was called to attend to the fire, but never got there. ENFRES Public Relations Officer Mandla Dlamini said they received the report. He said they delayed getting to the scene, as they were attending to another incident. He said on their way back, they had a puncher and delayed getting to the incident.  

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