The Sunday News
Charleen Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
BULAWAYO Ward 17 councillor, Sikhululekile Moyo is spearheading a fundraising project meant to assist a family in Pumula North suburb that lost its entire property to a fire last week.
The six-roomed house, number 7148/32 in Pumula North was gutted by fire following an electrical fault which left the house in ruins. In an interview with Sunday News, Councillor Moyo said the entire community felt compassion for the family and the residents of Pumula and the Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA) have pledged to assist.
“The unfortunate incident was very touching, everyone felt sorry for the family given that they are part of our community hence we held a meeting as the residents association and decided that we would engage the entire community through a fundraising project. We agreed that every household should donate as little as 50 cents while us as the executive contribute one dollar per person,” said Mrs Moyo.
She said so far there was a positive response as the fundraising project had been welcomed by the entire community.
“This project has brought the community together as people have been contributing without any complaints. Some people have even extended their hands and donated clothes, toiletries, and foodstuffs. Churches like Methodist, Brethren have also assisted a lot with blankets and other things. We expect that by the end of this month we would have finished with the roofing and replaced the doors and the windows as the fire left the house in ruins, this is essential because we are approaching the rainy season,” said Mrs Moyo.
The victim, Mr Shingai Mpofu, who is the owner of the house said although the incident was traumatic, he was particularly happy that no life was lost and no one was hurt in the inferno.
“It’s still hard to believe that our family house is now a ruin, we have lost everything but I’m still thankful that no one got hurt because I had left my children with my sister to go to work,” said Mr Mpofu.
“I left at around 8pm to go to work for my night shift, I work at a butchery. I had left my sister with my children aged five and 14. I was shocked when someone came to tell me that my house was on fire. The first thing that came to my mind was my children. I remember breathlessly running with tears in my eyes. I found my children outside, terrified. I tried to put it out using a horse pipe but it was all in vain. We had to wait for the firemen to come but by the time they arrived everything was in razed to ashes. Our clothes, blankets and foodstuffs were lost in the fire,” he said.
He said he lost very important documents like birth certificates as a result of the fire. He thanked the community initiative meant to help him and appealed to the greater Zimbabwean community to assist him.
“I am appealing to everyone in Zimbabwe to help us, as I have children and I don’t earn much. My children have to eat and go to school. Since we are approaching the rainy season I fear for my children as there is no roof or windows. I also work night shifts, I’m afraid that my children may be harmed by hooligans who prey in the neighbourhood at night since there are no doors,” said Mr Mpofu.
