The Sebola family in Tshiozwi were left devastated and homeless after a fire gutted their ten-room house on Monday, 3 April.
The owner of the house, Mr Simon Sebola, said that, fortunately, none of the family members had been at home when the fire had started. "I was called by my neighbours, who informed me that my house was on fire. When we got there, the fire had already spread through the entire house, destroying everything we owned inside, including a car. They told us that they heard an explosion shortly after the fire started. For now, there is nothing to suspect because I was not there, although some of the residents around suspect arson. But I will leave it to law enforcement to do their investigations. That way we will get an answer on what had really happened. Luckily, no one was around when the fire started, and we have only God to thank for protecting us," he said.
According to Sebola, the total damage to his property is estimated to be more than R1 million. He said the family faced a really difficult time ahead. "This will be a dreary Easter holiday for my family. We do not even have a decent place to stay or food to eat. We are hoping and praying that someone out there might find it in their heart to help us get back on our feet," he said.
The spokesperson for the police, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo, confirmed the incident. He said that the police had opened an inquest docket, following the incident. He dismissed claims that it had been an act of arson. "Our investigations are still continuing, and people must stop pointing fingers at each other," he said.