SOWETAN SAYS | Shack fires reveal plight of the poor

“It is painful to lose six people at a go, but I have to accept.”

These were the haunting words of Peter Phaahla, mourning the loss of his daughter, son-in-law, and four grandchildren in a shack fire that tore through their home at the Marikana informal settlement in Kwa-Thema, early Monday morning.

The lone survivor, a 7-year-old girl fighting for her life in hospital after suffering burns and smoke inhalation, will have to come to terms with the heartbreaking reality of losing almost her entire family.

This is not just a personal tragedy. It is a glaring example of systemic failure – poor infrastructure, insufficient emergency services and deep-rooted inequality that continues to plague SA’s informal settlements.

The Marikana blaze brings to 12 the number of fire-related deaths in Johannesburg in just one week. The first real cold snap of the season. Fires in Mayfair, Sandton and Boksburg also claimed lives, while thankfully only one person suffered injuries in an Alexandra blaze.

Most of these fires stem from the same cause: people trying to keep warm during winter using dangerous methods – overloaded electrical appliances, open flames, gas heaters and paraffin stoves.

According to emergency services, the KwaThema fire began around 3am as the family slept. Neighbours rushed to help. One, Klaas Mabhena, saved the young girl. But low water pressure and muddy, unpaved roads made further rescue efforts nearly impossible. “I felt like I failed them,” said Mabhena.

Why is this still happening in 2025?

Why are communities like Marikana still struggling for basic services like water pressure, emergency access and formal housing? The officials cite “non-revenue water supply” to explain why the water pressure was so low, and future housing projects that will provide safe, well-ventilated homes with access to basic services.  

But promises of future relief are little comfort to those who watched six lives vanish in a blaze.

This fire is not an isolated incident – it is part of a deadly pattern that returns every winter. The cold forces many families to use open flames, gas heaters, candles and paraffin stoves to stay warm. But in crowded, poorly constructed shacks, one small spark is all it takes for tragedy to happen.

The government must fast-track formal housing and improve emergency response infrastructure. In the meantime, residents must also take steps to reduce the risk of fire

By ensuring they never leave open flames unattended, checking electrical wiring for faults, storing items like paraffin and gas safely, as well as ensuring there is one quick exit known and practiced by the family.

We cannot allow this tragedy to pass without reflection, or worse, resignation. We must demand faster delivery of formal housing and improved emergency services. Every life matters, and every family deserves the dignity of safety.