Teenagers are allegedly behind a fire in Heideveld that nearly killed a grandmother and her three grandchildren yesterday.
Ouma Willemina Fabrik says the dom laaities gave her the skrik of her life when they started the fire in a vacant flat on the third floor in Alison Court at about 2am yesterday.
The 68-year-old ouma says she was sleeping with her three young grandkids, aged between three and 10, when she started smelling smoke.
“I woke up and realised something was burning, I shouted and called for help,” she says.
“Those boys started laughing and ran down the stairs.”
“I was so scared, I just screamed for help and rushed for a bucket of water.
“Residents from the second floor came to help put the flames out.
“These boys are naughty and do not care how many lives they put at risk. What if I woke up too late and I have three children inside?
“It is those boys that sit by the corner all day. They sneak in here to smoke and do whatever at night.
“It is not the first time they play dirty.
“I hope the council takes this seriously and finds a solution for this flat.
“It has been empty for two years since its previous owner left.
“Maybe they (Council) could secure it better or fix it and put in a new tenant before something bad happens.”
The pensioner says the Council did put locks on the door but the perpetrators broke the locks.
Ward Councillor Anthony Moses says he is aware of the issue: “We barricaded the property but these guys still climb up.
b“I’ll make a turn there tomorrow to assess the situation and try to come up with immediate interventions.”
nomzamo.yuku@inl.co.za