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"Build People Proper Houses": Twin Infants Killed in Shack Fire in North West, Mzansi Reacts

Published 8 Jul 2026 at 11:29 AM

by Tendani Mungoni

3 min read

A shack fire in an informal settlement in Ikageng claimed the lives of four-month-old twin boys
The twins' parents survived the blaze but sustained burn injuries and were hospitalised for treatment
South Africans mourned the loss of the infants and called for better housing to prevent future tragedies

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South Africa mourns four-month-old twins killed in devastating shack fire — A shack fire claims the lives of twin babies. Image: @Nigel Jared
Source: Getty Images

A family in the North West province lost their four-month-old twin boys in a devastating shack fire that broke out just before midnight on Monday, 06 July 2026. Mzansi mourns for the children.

Police from the North West South African Police Service received a report of a fire in the informal settlement in Ikageng, near Potchefstroom, and rushed to the scene. By the time officers arrived, the shack had already been reduced to rubble.

The twins' parents were inside the structure when the fire broke out. Both sustained burn injuries and were attended to by Emergency Medical Rescue Services before being transferred to a local hospital. As investigators combed through the wreckage, they made the heartbreaking discovery of the charred remains of the two infant boys among the debris.

Fire safety in informal settlements

Fires in informal settlements remain a recurring tragedy across South Africa, particularly during the winter months when residents rely on open flames and makeshift heating to stay warm. Vuku'zenzele reported that government leadership urge residents to fully extinguish any cooking or heating fires before sleeping, unplug electrical appliances during load shedding, and teach children where the nearest exits are in an emergency. Illegal electricity connections, common in informal settlements, are also a leading cause of shack fires.

View the Facebook post below:

Mzansi mourns the twin boys

South Africans shared their grief and frustration over the loss of the two children. This is what they had to say on The Citizen's Facebook page:

@Willy Conradie said:

"Condolence to family and friends 🙏❤️❤️"

@Thapelo Dipheko wrote:

"Do away with informal settlements, build people proper houses with their taxes."

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