Lanseria Fire

It has been four days since the homestead near Lanseria burnt down. The upstairs is totally gutted with only little remaining downstairs. The main house could have been saved and now fingers are been pointed towards the lack of response from the City of Johannesburg’s EMS (Emergency Management Services) who were on a Go Slow at the time.

The Kitchen

Family Room

What does this Go Slow mean? Joburg’s EMS normally work a 12 hour shift for example 7am to 7 pm but because their grievances have been ignored for the last 14 years they decided on Friday to work only from 8am to 4pm. On Saturday the fire broke out about 5:30 and we started phoning EMS from about 6pm not knowing that no-body was going pick up the phones until the next shift came into work. This is so wrong on all fronts with the call centre’s phones and the fire stations not manned. All the staff had gone home with the next shift expected at 8pm.

Downstairs Guest Bathroom

Eyewitness News phoned on Tuesday for the story and you can read it here at “Firefighters protest resulted in Lanseria house burning down”. Yesterday I had Africa News Network (ANN7) contact me for a follow up story. They then sent a television crew to the house to interview Abie.

Abie and his family are left to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of this Go Slow protest. Neighbours and some of my online friends have rallied around to help this family in need and have started organising collections such as curtains, bedding, kitchenware, clothing, and food.

Abie told me that they hopefully will have power restored by tomorrow to one of the out buildings where they are now staying in although still no water.