A candle burns alongside a fresh bouquet of flowers, photo frame and collection box displayed on a special table set up in a Somerset West supermarket – a shrine in memory of a beloved employee tragically lost.
The heart-warming gesture is featured at the Helderberg Centre Checkers Hyper in remembrance of the deceased, Ndileka Mkhunqwana, who died following a fatal shack fire in Khayelitsha.
The 40-year-old township resident was reportedly hospitalised with serious burn wounds sustained in the raging blaze that broke out on Sunday 6 November and claimed the life of her one-year-old son, Lifa.
The incident turned into a double tragedy when the mother died in hospital a few days later, on Friday 11 November.
Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services, said an emergency call of an informal structure alight in the Enkanini informal settlement was received and responded to at 23:14 on Saturday 5 November. Carelse said firefighting crews from Mitchells Plain, Ottery and Khayelitsha were dispatched to the scene where a raging fire gutted numerous township homes.
“A total of six informal structures were destroyed and one male minor claimed after succumbing to fatal burn wounds sustained in the incident,” said Carelse. “The scene was handed over to the South African Police Service at 00:50.”
According to a police spokesperson, Harare police members responded to the incident at 00:30 and encountered the body of the baby, which was burnt beyonf recognition.
“According to information received by police at the time, the mother was already transported to to hospital with critical burn wounds sustained in the fire. The mother later too succumbed,” said the police spokesperson.
Police have opened an inquest docket following the double tragedy.
DistrictMail and Helderberg Gazette approached the local store for comment, but the opportunity to comment or just provide insight into the type of colleague lost in the devastating blaze was declined.
The Shoprite Group, in light of the incident, said: “Losing one of our own always touches us, and it is with great sadness that we extend our heartfelt sympathy to the families and co-workers of any employee who passed away.
“To protect employees’ privacy, we are, however, not able to provide more information.”
Attempts to reach out to family of the deceased, who is believed to have braved the fiery hell in an attempt to rescue her child, were unsuccessful.
