Family seeks answers after Durban fire claims life of 29-year-old

An Eastern Cape family is looking for answers after Ayanda Ziqethu, 29, died in an informal settlement fire in Durban. 

Ayanda, from the Eastern Cape, was badly burnt when a fire broke out at the Simplace Informal Settlement in Effingham on Sunday, May 18. 

Over 20 informal structures were destroyed, leaving 30 people displaced. 

The eThekwini Municipality’s Fire and Emergency Services responded to the call around 11pm and worked throughout the night to extinguish the fire. The municipality said a team is investigating the cause of the blaze. 

However, the Ziqethu family does not believe Ayanda died in a shack fire, especially after hearing what the people in the community where he was living said. 

Ayanda’s older sister, Vuyokazi Ziqethu, said that according to the information they had gathered, Ayanda had a fight with some people, and they broke into his home and took his cellphone and money, among other things. When he returned, he was told about the incident. 

Regarding events before his death, Ziqethu said: “A neighbour said people followed him and then there was a fight inside the shack, and that’s when he was allegedly killed and the fire was started. 

“I suspect he was drunk because it started where they were drinking together. The fight started there, and that’s when they followed him to his place.”

Ziqethu said police said they are investigating, and they will call the neighbour and question her about what she witnessed. 

Ziqethu said it has been difficult since Ayanda’s death. She had to send money so her brother, Bafana, could go to Durban. She also had to travel from Cape Town, where she worked, to the Eastern Cape and then Durban. When they travelled on Monday, the car broke down and they had to rely on public transport and had to hire a car to take them to the places they needed to go to.

She described her brother as a quiet person. He leaves behind two children. 

Ayanda was in Durban for work. 

KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said the department will provide the mother with counselling when she arrives in Durban. 

“It’s a very traumatic experience for her. So we’re arranging that professional counseling,” Duma said. 

“We’ll obviously look at how to work with the family to ensure that Ayanda’s remains are actually transported to the Eastern Cape for the funeral.” 

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za