Single mom loses all her possessions in fire
9 February 2010, 14:27
Octavia Makhathini, the administrator for the Salvation Army Durban Central Corps, whose home was gutted by a fire last week, has been left with nothing except her cellphone, a handbag and the clothes on her back.
Her son, Khanyisani, a matric pupil at Glenwood Boys' High School, also lost everything he owned except a single set of his school uniform and a few books he took in his school bag on the day of the fire.
Makhathini, who works for a stipend at the church where she has now been forced to sleep, said she had just finished fasting and praying for 40 days when the fire broke out.
On a visit to the house on Monday, the single mother said she was confident that "something good" would come out of their misfortune, although they had lost every sentimental item they owned.
"I had just spent R2 000 on his school books - his technical drawing bag alone cost R600. An assignment he had to hand in for technical drawing was burnt in the fire. Khanyisani was the rugby man of the match in 2006 and received an award certificate signed by one of the Sharks that was also lost," Makhathini said.
"He had just withdrawn R500 for toiletries and it was there with his ID and bank card."
She said her son had been awarded provincial colours for rugby and received a tie and a badge that was destroyed in the fire.
"I just hope it has not affected him emotionally and will not take his focus away from school," she said.
The fire destroyed her educational certificates and other important personal documents and irreplaceable family photographs.
"I cried bitterly because my whole life was in there. My leadership Bible in which I have highlighted scriptures all over was there, but then I thought... God saved my life. The lights had been tripping about three times the night before and then the fire started at about 11am the next morning while I was at work," Makhathini said.
The worst affected areas were her and her son's bedrooms, which were still both covered in chunks of charred rubble on Monday.
"Material things do not matter. We can always get more. This has actually increased my faith," she said.
She has estimated the loss of her personal effects to be about R20 000.
"My life has amounted to a bag - a Mr Price plastic bag - but my most important thing is my life that I still have. The Lord has shown me what wonderful support I have because I am not alone. I can't complain," Makhathini said.
The house belongs to the Salvation Army church. Salvation Army Major Robbie Mair said: "It is a tragedy. The insurance assessors were here on Friday and they were confident that the shell has remained and that they will be able to rebuild in three months."
However, he said the church was looking for somewhere for Makhathini to stay because she was living in one of the church buildings.
Her son, Khanyisani, a matric pupil at Glenwood Boys' High School, also lost everything he owned except a single set of his school uniform and a few books he took in his school bag on the day of the fire.
Makhathini, who works for a stipend at the church where she has now been forced to sleep, said she had just finished fasting and praying for 40 days when the fire broke out.
On a visit to the house on Monday, the single mother said she was confident that "something good" would come out of their misfortune, although they had lost every sentimental item they owned.
"I had just spent R2 000 on his school books - his technical drawing bag alone cost R600. An assignment he had to hand in for technical drawing was burnt in the fire. Khanyisani was the rugby man of the match in 2006 and received an award certificate signed by one of the Sharks that was also lost," Makhathini said.
"He had just withdrawn R500 for toiletries and it was there with his ID and bank card."
She said her son had been awarded provincial colours for rugby and received a tie and a badge that was destroyed in the fire.
"I just hope it has not affected him emotionally and will not take his focus away from school," she said.
The fire destroyed her educational certificates and other important personal documents and irreplaceable family photographs.
"I cried bitterly because my whole life was in there. My leadership Bible in which I have highlighted scriptures all over was there, but then I thought... God saved my life. The lights had been tripping about three times the night before and then the fire started at about 11am the next morning while I was at work," Makhathini said.
The worst affected areas were her and her son's bedrooms, which were still both covered in chunks of charred rubble on Monday.
"Material things do not matter. We can always get more. This has actually increased my faith," she said.
She has estimated the loss of her personal effects to be about R20 000.
"My life has amounted to a bag - a Mr Price plastic bag - but my most important thing is my life that I still have. The Lord has shown me what wonderful support I have because I am not alone. I can't complain," Makhathini said.
The house belongs to the Salvation Army church. Salvation Army Major Robbie Mair said: "It is a tragedy. The insurance assessors were here on Friday and they were confident that the shell has remained and that they will be able to rebuild in three months."
However, he said the church was looking for somewhere for Makhathini to stay because she was living in one of the church buildings.
- This article was originally published on page 3 of The Daily News on February 09, 2010
Pretoria
