The charred and grotesquely bent springs of a mattress, lying amidst the rubble of this France Street home in Timothy Valley, serve as a harrowing reminder of a 62-year-old grandmother’s desperate last attempt to escape raging flames.
Neighbours speculate that Gladys Palmer, affectionately known as Ouma in the neighbourhood, tried to escape the falling debris and flames by hiding under her mattress in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Sadly, it also became her last resting place.
A family member, Julius Buys, said that it is miraculous that ten other relatives managed to escape the fire, since the occupants were woken by the loud banging of neighbours alerting them of the danger, while peacefully asleep.
Palmer’s grandson, Gugu Palmer, managed to grab the children and take them out of the inferno, but could not return to help anyone else due to the intensity of the fire.
Executive mayor, Gary van Niekerk, conveyed his condolences to the distraught family, and arranged with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Disaster Management for temporary relief packages (mattresses, blankets, food and sanitary products) as the family home was completely razed to the ground and they had lost all their possessions.
“When I found out about your ordeal, I decided to slip out of discussions to conclude our Mayoral Committee to show you my concern and support.
“ I would like to appeal to the community to assist the family, especially the children, with school uniforms, food, clothes and any other assistance.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them, as it cannot be easy to lose all your earthly belongings and your grandmother at the same time,” said Van Niekerk.
The municipality’s Electricity and Energy Directorate disconnected the house from the electricity grid and restored supply to the rest of France Street.
This was Van Niekerk’s first site visit as the newly-elected mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay.
The former Speaker of Council was voted into his new role on Friday, when he received 64 of the 119 votes cast during a council meeting.
Former mayor, Retief Odendaal, received 55 of the votes.
