Sinethemba Community Organisation is appealing to business owners to assist them with whatever they can to rebuild their facility.

Sinethemba is a non-governmental organisation that conducts various programmes to uplift the community.

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Part of the Sinethemba facility, including a crèche, kitchen and four shacks, burned down on Tuesday 15 September. The cause of the fire is unknown. She said there was no power in the area when the incident began.

Fire destroys crèche and four shacks

The founder and director of Sinethemba, Nolitha Ndalasi, said she is heartbroken by the incident. She said she lost almost everything in the fire.

“The flames started in the kitchen. We saw smoke coming from the ceiling. Within the blink of an eye, the kitchen was overwhelmed by flames and later spread to the crèche and other shacks that were close by,” said Ndalasi.

I lost almost everything”

She said she lost almost everything that was in the kitchen and that the fire also damaged the crèche and the wall of the main house. She added that all the stoves, baking stoves, cupboards, three deep freezers, two fridges and the groceries were lost.

“We also lost all the equipment of the crèche, including mattresses, cot beds, chairs and blankets. I must rebuild the crèche because it is very bad. Other shacks that were also affected had been accommodating some of my workers,” she explained, adding that the crèche was home to 93 children from the age of three months to six years old.

93 children left without a home

Ndalasi described the centre as playing a vital role in the community. She said they also have a soup kitchen and an afternoon class for young children. She said the tank water for irrigation has also been affected.