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The fire was still burning the next morning.

Fire consumes shopping complex in Thohoyandou

 

The Rammbuda family of Thohyandou, a family that is known for their many business ventures in Thohoyandou and other areas of Vhembe, have been hit hard, following a huge fire that gutted one of their complexes in Thohoyandou.

Damage of more than R10 million was caused when a mysterious fire consumed the Nyabele Mugeda Complex on Friday in Thohoyandou. According to information at this paper’s disposal, the fire started at one of the shops in the complex at around midnight. The cause of the fire is unknown and is subject to police investigations.

Complex owner businessman Naledzani Rambuda said he received a call around midnight, informing him of the fire. “I rushed straight to the complex to find that a huge fire has consumed the complex. Firefighters were busy fighting the huge flames. So far, we do not know the cause of the fire. This is a very big setback for us as it took a long time and lots of money to build the complex.”

He added that they were going to rebuild the complex, “as tenants are suffering as their businesses have been completely halted.”

 A hawker who had a clothing shop at the complex said he lost hundreds of thousands worth of clothing in the fire. “We are still in shock. We have lost a lot and it will take time for us to get back to business. We do not know what will happen to our staff as we cannot sustain them while our businesses are closed,” he said.

Rendani Ndou of Ballack Cell Repairs and Accessories, one of the tenants, said he lost stock worth more than R600 000. "I have been renting here since March 2011. The stock includes a sound system, computers, cell phones and other accessories." He added that it would take him six months to recover from the loss. "This is very frustrating. It took us years to build this business; now we have to start afresh.”

Mr Justice Nedzanba of the Thohoyandou Business Forum said they were shocked to hear of such a big loss. "This affects us in one way or another as businesspeople. This will amount to huge job losses and loss of stock to emerging businesspeople, some of whom will not be able to buy stock again as they lost everything in the fire.”

He pleaded with government to treat the event “as a disaster and assist the businesspeople to get on their feet again," he said.

Thohoyandou police spokesperson Lt-Col Mashudu Malelo said that they had opened an arson case. He confirmed that "about 20 shops were destroyed by the fire."

People look on in awe at the devastation at the shopping complex.

Total devastation at the shopping complex.

A completely gutted shop at the complex.

A burnt-out shop in the complex.

Firefighters fight the flames at the complex.

 

Date:26 August 2016

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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