Luzuko Pongoma

Luzuko Pongoma

Pupils and teachers of Mzimvubu Primary School in Soweto bid a sad farewell to a fellow pupil who was killed in a fire at the Dube hostel last week.

The pupils, teachers and Dube Hostel residents packed the Methodist Church in Dube to pay their last respects to Zamokuhle Mbatha, 11.

Zamokuhle and her younger brother Nqubeko died last week after they were badly injured in the fire at the hostel.

Zamokuhle's class teacher Busisiwe Makhaphela said the death had left her traumatised because Zamokuhle was the second child to die in her class this year.

She described Zamokuhle as a quiet and disciplined child who had attributes that were beyond her age such as being proud and knowledgable about her culture.

Ithuteng Caring Institute in Meadowlands also paid tribute to Zamokuhle.

Phinda Nhlapo of Ithuteng said they held the service so that children who visited the centre with Zamokuhle could bid her farewell. He said Zamokuhle was very close to her brother who was buried last week.

Nhlapo said the death of the Mbatha siblings had shaken the children who frequent the centre.

"Children do not feel safe. We have decided to provide more counselling because they are still scared," he said.

Zamokuhle is expected to be buried in KwaZulu-Natal.