A woman’s bad habit of drinking alcohol has got her in trouble and also led to the death of her children.
It was gathered that the alcohol addict was roaming the streets with her kids three weeks ago until John Mashimbye (40) took pity on her. He offered her his room in a rundown building while he went to stay with a friend nearby.
But instead of his room becoming a refuge for the mum and her kids, it ended in horror.
On Friday night, the mum allegedly locked her three little kids inside the room and went to the tavern to drink. The kids were killed by flames!
Neighbours in Plastic View in Brakpan, Ekurhuleni, South Africa, saw the blaze when it was already too late. They tried to extinguish the fire with buckets of water, but could not as it was too strong.
The three kids, Sphesihle (7), Samkelo (6) and Kamogelo Majola (3) burned to death.
Neighbours told Daily Sun the room was locked from the outside and the kids couldn’t escape even if they tried.“The cops went to fetch the mother from the tavern and all she could do was cry,” they said.
The woman was arrested and taken to Brakpan Police Station.
Captain Pearl van Stad said the woman would appear in court today, charged with culpable homicide.
Mashimbye said he lost R3 000 he had saved up for Christmas.
“I have to start all over again. I also lost my ID in the fire,” he said. “I don’t know if it is right for me to say I regret taking her in. Three kids are dead because she put beer above them and I lost everything.”
Another victim, Nceba Nomgenge said he lost R4 800 he had also saved for his kids.
Five residents were affected by the fire. “We lost everything and are appealing for help,” they said.
Neighbours said the woman had been in the area for less than a month.
“We don’t know her family. What we know is she is from Bloemfontein.”
