Evil curse haunts family!

WHEN it rains, it pours for the family of gogo Boniswa Mdlambuzi from Cape Town.

Family followed by misfortune

The family lost everything they owned in a fire on Thursday morning, 29 February.

The 74-year-old gogo and her daughter Nomafu Mdlambuzi (33) had gone to work early that morning but were quickly called back home at about 8am.

"We were told that the house was on fire, and we rushed home. When we arrived, people were gathered outside the house, but they couldn't save anything except the people who were in the house, including two physically challenged people and a wheelchair user. It hurt me to see my house destroyed, but I was happy that no one died in the incident," said Boniswa.

In 2023 gogo's daughter business gets looted

It seems bad luck keeps following gogo. In July 2023 the family lost several sewing machines and materials in a looting incident related to taxi protests in Phipilli area.

Her daughter Nomafu was supposed to be travelling overseas to showcase her designer dresses, but this dream was shattered by looters.

"It's just hard because we were just trying to get back up after the looting that destroyed our business when a fire came and caused another big damage. Some other materials and machinery that we had recently acquired were destroyed again by the fire. We also buried my brother in October 2023.

"Things are difficult for us and we need anyone who can help us. I missed an opportunity to go overseas because my clothes were looted and I wanted to try again this year, but the fire destroyed our shop for the second time in less than a year," Nomafu said.

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Sad gogo cries for help

The gogo said her church helped her with shelter after the fire, but the place they were living in was not suitable, so she had to build two shacks in her backyard.

However, the two shacks are not enough for her large family of 15 people. The family does not know what caused the fire.

Rescue service confirms incident

Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Jermaine Carelse confirmed the incident.

"The Fire and Rescue Service received an emergency call at 8.12am on Thursday, 29 February 2024 about a house on fire in Thirty First Street, Philippi. Firefighters from Mitchells Plain and Lansdowne attended the scene and were able to extinguish the fire at 9.15am.

"No injuries were reported. However, a building inspector was requested as the formal residence was extensively damaged and the informal building adjacent to the residence was destroyed. A total of 18 people were displaced, and the cause has yet to be confirmed," Carelse said.