Emergency response and forensic teams on the ground, following tragic weekend fires in KZN

By Johnathan Paoli

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has been left reeling after two separate structural fires claimed eight lives over the weekend, including five children from the same family, in the Umdoni and KwaDukuza municipalities.

Speaking for the MEC, spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila said Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi, while “deeply saddened” by the devastating loss of life, has immediately dispatched senior officials from the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) to coordinate humanitarian assistance and support for the affected families.

“The MEC for CoGTA, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has expressed condolences to all the affected families. The MEC will also be paying a special visit to the affected families to provide interim relief,” Mzila said.

The first incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday in the Nongoloza area of Ward 5 of the Umdoni Local Municipality on the province’s south coast.

Three people from two neighbouring households, the Cibane and