Two sisters were taken in by police for questioning after their five children, allegedly left alone overnight, burnt beyond recognition at an informal settlement. Image: RUSA/Canva
City of Tshwane to assist with burial of Itireleng shack fire victims
Five children were burnt beyond recognition in a shack fire in Itireleng near Laudium in Pretoria. Their parents have been arrested.
Two sisters were taken in by police for questioning after their five children, allegedly left alone overnight, burnt beyond recognition at an informal settlement. Image: RUSA/Canva
The City of Tshwane says it will assist social support services to the families of five children who perished in a shack fire in Itireleng near Laudium in Pretoria.
The tragic incident happened on happened in the early hours on Sunday, 27 August 2023.
LATEST ON ITIRELENG SHACK FIRE
As previously reported by The South African, City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department spokesperson Charles Mabaso said firefighters arrived on the scene to find multiple shacks engulfed by fire and immediately started with firefighting operations.
Mabaso said five remains of children burnt beyond recognition were discovered in the ruins of the shacks after the fire was extinguished. The five children, three boys aged two, four, six and two girls aged one year five months and seven years of age belonged to two sisters.
ALSO READ: MEC Maile to visit Itireleng after five children perish in a shack fire
City of Tshwane MMC for Community and Social Development Services Peggy de Bruin said the metro’s social workers working in partnership with mental health NGOs are already providing counselling to the affected families.
De Bruin said the City of Tshwane will further assist the bereaved families with burials, food and transport as well as food parcels after the burials.
PARENTS CHARGED FOR CULPABLE HOMICIDE
Lindiwe Machaka (39), and Zanele Machaka (37) made a brief appearance at the Atteridgeville Magistrates Court, where they are facing five counts of culpable homicide.
Lindiwe is the grandmother to two of the children, aged one and two while Zanele is the mother to the rest of the three children aged four, five and six.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in Gauteng Lumka Mahanjana said the sisters had left and locked the children overnight in their shack in Itireleng Informal Settlement near Laudium.
“It is alleged that, while the two were still out, the shack caught fire and all the children burnt and died on the scene. The two women were arrested at the tavern the same day and are remanded in custody,” Mahanja said.
ALSO READ: Sisters charged for death of five children
