EKURHULENI executive mayor Mondli Gungubele has lashed out at the management of the Struisbult Care Centre, where 12 elderly people were burnt to death on Sunday night.
He said the facility had failed to heed numerous calls from the community safety department recommending that certain improvements were needed in case of emergency.
"As recently as May 25 2011 our emergency management services informed the management of the Struisbult facility that they were not in full compliance with the Fire Brigade Act. Once again, the advice was clearly not heeded," Gungubele said on Wednesday during the memorial service of the people who died when the centre caught fire.
About 29 others were injured in the inferno and police are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Municipal spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the centre had since been closed.
"Following this incident, the government took a decision to close down the home and move more than 100 survivors to neighbouring facilities in the Ekurhuleni area," he said.
Gungubele also told the families and friends of the deceased that they had been failed by the centre.
"You entrusted your loved ones to others, and that trust was broken. As a society we have failed you," he said.
Gungubele said if the necessary precautions had been taken the fire could not have occurred.
"Even if a fire had broken out in the first place, the Struisbult Care Centre should have been adequately equipped to deal with it."
The centre's board chairperson, Lawrence Mooketsi, told the families that South Africa was standing by them.
Nomsa Majola, daughter of one of the 12 deceased, could not hold back her tears.
"It's very painful, I am left by myself," she said.
Majola's mother will be buried in Eastern Cape.
Duduzile Mkhize, who spoke on behalf of the families of the deceased, said she was still shaken by the incident.
Gungubele said the municipality would ensure that burial space was made available free of charge to affected families, regardless of where the burials took place. Various funeral undertakers had offered to support the families by providing coffins and related funeral services, Gungubele said.
Mayor spits fire
EKURHULENI executive mayor Mondli Gungubele has lashed out at the management of the Struisbult Care Centre, where 12 elderly people were burnt to death on Sunday night.
He said the facility had failed to heed numerous calls from the community safety department recommending that certain improvements were needed in case of emergency.
"As recently as May 25 2011 our emergency management services informed the management of the Struisbult facility that they were not in full compliance with the Fire Brigade Act. Once again, the advice was clearly not heeded," Gungubele said on Wednesday during the memorial service of the people who died when the centre caught fire.
About 29 others were injured in the inferno and police are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Municipal spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the centre had since been closed.
"Following this incident, the government took a decision to close down the home and move more than 100 survivors to neighbouring facilities in the Ekurhuleni area," he said.
Gungubele also told the families and friends of the deceased that they had been failed by the centre.
"You entrusted your loved ones to others, and that trust was broken. As a society we have failed you," he said.
Gungubele said if the necessary precautions had been taken the fire could not have occurred.
"Even if a fire had broken out in the first place, the Struisbult Care Centre should have been adequately equipped to deal with it."
The centre's board chairperson, Lawrence Mooketsi, told the families that South Africa was standing by them.
Nomsa Majola, daughter of one of the 12 deceased, could not hold back her tears.
"It's very painful, I am left by myself," she said.
Majola's mother will be buried in Eastern Cape.
Duduzile Mkhize, who spoke on behalf of the families of the deceased, said she was still shaken by the incident.
Gungubele said the municipality would ensure that burial space was made available free of charge to affected families, regardless of where the burials took place. Various funeral undertakers had offered to support the families by providing coffins and related funeral services, Gungubele said.
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