Sundowns diehard supporter lucky to be alive

KAKHOZA - Manzini Sundowns staunch supporter, Mgadzanga Hlatjwayo is lucky to be alive after his house was gutted by fire.

He confirmed to this publication that he had taken one too many when the incident, which left him without his wheelchairs, bed and clothing among other items happened.

When this reporter arrived at the homestead where Hlatjwayo (55) resides, he was in another house belonging to a friend who is also a tenant at the homestead. He was in the company of his friends and were having alcoholic beverages.

“I am counting myself lucky to be alive after the evening blaze gutted my house last night. I was a bit drunk after taking a few beers and forgot to put out the candle which was placed on top of a plastic cooler box,” he said.

Hlatjwayo mentioned that his wheelchairs which were donated by local organisations were literally his ‘legs’ as he was disabled by polio which he had from April, 1967, when he was young. He pleaded with the public to assist him in getting a new wheelchair as he was ‘grounded’ after the incident.
Fire-fighters were called to the homestead at around 9:30am and they managed to put out the blaze in about 20 minutes.

“I was choked by the smoke and when I woke up I discovered that everything had caught fire and part of the house had fallen on me. I screamed for help and one of the neighbours who was smoking in a nearby toilet rushed and kicked the door. He managed to pull me out of the burning house and I escaped unharmed,” Hlatjwayo said.

He was taken to hospital for observation but was given the all-clear and returned home on the same evening.
“I am grateful to be alive but how am I going to survive without my wheelchair because every day I travel to town to find means of surviving.

I would like to request for donations, clothing, a bed, food and a wheelchair as everything got burnt to ashes during the incident,” Hlatjwayo said.
The landlady, Pamela Ntuli who came rushing and shouting when she saw this reporter said had it not been for the fact that Hlatjwayo was drunk, the incident would not have occurred.

“Every day he drinks and he really has to slow down as he could have died from this incident. My house is totally burnt because of his negligence and he is extremely lucky to be alive. We would like to appeal to the nation to help out where they could as he has lost everything and it is sad,” the landlady said.

For any form of assistance, Hlatjwayo could be contacted on 7699 9727

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