Pretoria Shack Fire: 5 Kids Killed in Blaze After Moms Left them Alone and Grooved at Nearby Tavern

• Two mothers were arrested after their five children died in a shack fire in an informal settlement near Laudium, Pretoria
• The mothers, who are also sisters, went out for a night of groove at a nearby tavern and left their children unattended
• South Africans are enraged that five innocent children died because their mothers wanted to party

PRETORIA - Two mothers have been taken into police custody after their children died in a shack fire.

Informal settlement fire in PTA destroys homes

The five children were left alone inside a shack at an informal settlement near Laudium in Pretoria while their mothers, who are also sisters, went out partying at a nearby tavern.

According to TimesLIVE, a shack fire broke out at around 4:26am. The five children, aged between one and six years old, were burnt beyond recognition.

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The fire also destroyed six homes in the informal settlement. Tshwane emergency services spokesperson Thabo Mabaso said it is believed that the sisters left their children in one shack and went partying, reports IOL.

They were taken in by the police for questioning. The cause of the fire is still unknown and law enforcement agencies are investigating.

Mabaso urged parents not to leave children alone and to rather leave them with an adult caregiver.

Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development, Lebogang Maile, is expected to visit the informal settlement on Monday, 28 June.

South Africans furious at the moms

Bommago Potego le Lesego said:

"They will never forgive themselves for this. If it was me, I was gonna make sure I follow the poor kids."

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Given Mpho Wanne Rams said:

"They loved alcohol more than their kids. Their aim was to leave them alone, many young women are doing this thing, especially if there's a new relationship. Unfortunately the victims are young kids."

Mgcini Ncube said:

"Alcohol is good for the economy, not the consumer."

Bingza Cibi said:

"Painful part is they go out and drink using the children's social grants."

Prince Innocent Gondwe said:

"Very irresponsible and heartbreaking, hope they get punished."

Zini Walton said:

"They went on a drinking spree these ones, with the children’s social grant nogal. They must get life sentences."

Durban residents left homeless by informal settlement fire

Briefly News previously reported that scores of people have been left homeless after what the Kennedy Road informal settlement residents have described as the worst fire to date.

An uncontrollable blaze tore through the settlement on Sunday, 16 July, burning an estimated 1 000 homes.

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Devastated by the destruction left in the fire's wake, residents with nowhere to stay are pleading for shelter from anyone willing to help.

Source: Briefly News