Gauteng government vows support for teen who lost his entire family in a shack fire in Etwatwa
Mapaballo Borotho
- Five members of the Tembe family died in a shack fire at the Steve Biko Informal Settlement in Ekurhuleni.
- The only survivor, 19-year-old Jovenchio Tembe, says he wants a dignified funeral for his loved ones in Mozambique.
- Acting Gauteng Premier Lebogang Maile has pledged government support to assist the bereaved family with funeral arrangements.
Gauteng Acting Premier Lebogang Maile has pledged provincial support to the Tembe family as they prepare to bury five loved ones who perished in a devastating shack fire in the east of Johannesburg.
The tragic blaze tore through a five-room shack at the Steve Biko Informal Settlement in the early hours of Sunday morning, claiming the lives of a mother, father, and their three young children.
The only survivor, 19-year-old Jovenchio Tembe, escaped the flames but lost his entire family.
On Tuesday, Maile, accompanied by Human Settlements MEC Tasneem Motara, visited the bereaved family for a prayer session and to offer condolences.
Maile assured the Tembes that the Gauteng government would assist with funeral arrangements and other immediate needs.
Speaking to Kaya News, relatives described their heartbreak and disbelief as they come to terms with the loss.
Originally from Mozambique, the Tembes are still deciding where their loved ones will be laid to rest. Jovenchio says he hopes to give his parents and siblings a dignified farewell in their homeland.
The young survivor has begun trauma counselling as preparations continue.
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