Media Room

11 March 2016 - On Saturday, the 12th of March 2016, Emfuleni Local Municipality will facilitate the mass burial of the five victims of a house fire in Sebokeng in the Vaal, south of Joburg.

The event will take place as follows:

Date :  12 March 2016
Time :  08:00
Venue :  Saul Tsotetsi Sports Complex, Sebokeng, Zone 14

Notes to Editors

A DARK cloud is hovering over Sebokeng in the Vaal where residents are still reeling in shock following the deaths of five people in a fire.  The tragedy claimed the lives of five members of the Mokoena family. The fire which razed down the family home during the early hours of Saturday morning killed Nthabiseng Mokoena (44), her daughter Innocentia Mokoena (17) and niece Lesego Sebe (5).

Five-month old baby girl, Lebohang Mokoena and her mother Esther Mokoena (20) died at the Sebokeng hospital days after the incident, bringing the number of the deceased to five.  The family’s uncle, Michael Mokoena (63) survived the fire and is recovering in hospital.

Cushioning the massive blow suffered by the family, Sedibeng ANC Chairman and Emfuleni Local Municipality Mayor, Mahole Simon Mofokeng is leading a programme to rebuild the family’s home in Sebokeng, Zone 13.  Mofokeng is also facilitating a mass funeral for the deceased, which is scheduled for Saturday, March 12th at the Saul Tsotetsi Sports Complex in Sebokeng’s Zone 14.

Over the registration weekend, Mofokeng together with the National Chairperson who is also the Speaker of Parliament, Mme Baleka Mbete and Provincial Treasure who is also the Provincial Speaker, Mme Ntombi Mekgwe visited the family. A facilitation process for assistance was pledged. A day after the disaster, COGTA through the leadership of MEC Paul Mashatile immediately initiated a process to rebuild the damaged Mokoena family home through Magotamisha constructions, which further committed to do donate the house within a week. 

On Thursday, mourners packed the Saul Tsotetsi Sports Complex to bid farewell to the members of the Mokoena family who perished in the fire.  Teachers, students and members of School Governing Bodies from Botebo-Tsebo Secondary School where Innocentia was a Grade l0 student and Motlotlo Primary School where Lesego was in Grade R, also attended he memorial service.

Meanwhile, police in Sebokeng have charged a 59-year old man with five counts of murder and arson. The suspect, who is believed to be the boyfriend of the one of the deceased family members, was arrested in Soweto on Monday and was brought in for questioning.

This house was engulfed by flames which claimed the lives of five family members.

 
Sedibeng ANC Chairman and Emfuleni Local Municipality Mayor Mahole Simon Mofokeng watches workers rebuilding the Mokoena family home that was razed by a fire, killing five members of the Mokoena family. 

 
Lebohang Mokoena is one of the victims, initially she had survived the fire but died a day later at the Sebokeng hospital.

Photos: Courtesy of Emfuleni Local Municipality and the Mokoena family archives.

Issued by Emfuleni Local Municipality

Enquiries: Lebo Mofokeng
Mayoral Spokesperson
Tel: 016 950 5488
Cell: 079 510 7324
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