Social Development MEC in the North West Basetsana Sussana Dantjie is fast-tracking relief efforts for a Robega pensioner whose shack was gutted by fire on Wednesday in the afternoon.
The raging fire destroyed the pensioner’s three roomed shack, leaving him displaced without the furniture, clothes, identity document and other important amenities. It is alleged that the fire was caused by electrical fault.
On Thursday, MEC Dantjie deployed a team of social workers from her department’s Rustenburg based office to provide psychosocial support in the form of trauma counselling to the pensioner and compile a home circumstance report.
“I thank God-Almighty that the pensioner is alive. I express my profound thanks to all the stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to intervene in the plight of this pensioner in collaboration with our department. The interventions are ongoing. Our stakeholders have already delivered blankets, mattresses and clothes to the affected family. Social relief of distress in the form of food parcels has already been delivered to the affected family,” Dantie said, adding that the South African Social Security Agency has also issued a voucher worth R2 100 to the pensioner.
The local residents have also brought groceries and cements to the pensioner who is currently staying in a nearby shack. Dantjie has called on community members to continue to take care of the elderly in their areas and to learn more about fire prevention and safety measures to avert property destruction and untimely loss of life.
Law enforcement agencies are still doing the investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire.
ENDS.
Issued by North West Department of Social Development
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