Two North West children who died in a shack fire while their teenage mother left them unattended will be buried tomorrow.
The bodies of two-year-old Reatlegile and one-year-old Thoriso were pulled out of the rubble by firefighters last Thursday after they were trapped in a burning shack in Ikopeleng village, Mahikeng.
This was after their mother Keabetswe Mokokoe, 19, left them unattended and went to the local tuck shop.
While there, the two-roomed shack she shared with her parents caught fire.
The cause of the fire remains unknown while some members of the family suspect it might have been caused by Keabetswe's four-year-old younger brother, who was seen earlier with a box of matches in the shack.
After the deaths, the Mokokoe family said they would have loved to bury the children but did not have money for the funeral.
After Sowetan reported the tragedy on Monday, Mahikeng local municipality mayor Betty Diakanyo and social development MEC Fenny Gaolaolwe promised to help.
Diakanyo promised to rebuild the family's shack through the human settlements department.
She also gave the family food and blankets and promised that the municipality would take care of the burial costs.
Diakanyo's spokesman Johnny Nkoane said the funeral will be held tomorrow as the family wished.
"We're going to take the responsibility of the burial and also make sure that the family has a shelter after the funeral," he said.
Gaolaolwe also visited the family yesterday.
"The death of a child is one too many. This is the second gruesome incident that took place in this area. We call on parents to be cautious when raising children," Gaolaolwe said, adding her department would continue to provide trauma counselling to the Mokokoe family.
She said the social development department would provide the family with social relief in the form of grocery hampers for the funeral.
Family member Stompie Mokokoe said they were grateful.
"I cannot thank them enough. We didn't know how we were going to bury these children. We're so grateful and will never forget the support from the government during this difficult time," she said.
The funeral service will take place at Ikopeleng village.
tshehleb@sowetan.co.za
Family gets burial help for toddlers
Two North West children who died in a shack fire while their teenage mother left them unattended will be buried tomorrow.
The bodies of two-year-old Reatlegile and one-year-old Thoriso were pulled out of the rubble by firefighters last Thursday after they were trapped in a burning shack in Ikopeleng village, Mahikeng.
ALSO READ: Young dad blames himself for kids' death in shack fire
This was after their mother Keabetswe Mokokoe, 19, left them unattended and went to the local tuck shop.
While there, the two-roomed shack she shared with her parents caught fire.
The cause of the fire remains unknown while some members of the family suspect it might have been caused by Keabetswe's four-year-old younger brother, who was seen earlier with a box of matches in the shack.
After the deaths, the Mokokoe family said they would have loved to bury the children but did not have money for the funeral.
After Sowetan reported the tragedy on Monday, Mahikeng local municipality mayor Betty Diakanyo and social development MEC Fenny Gaolaolwe promised to help.
Diakanyo promised to rebuild the family's shack through the human settlements department.
She also gave the family food and blankets and promised that the municipality would take care of the burial costs.
Diakanyo's spokesman Johnny Nkoane said the funeral will be held tomorrow as the family wished.
"We're going to take the responsibility of the burial and also make sure that the family has a shelter after the funeral," he said.
Gaolaolwe also visited the family yesterday.
"The death of a child is one too many. This is the second gruesome incident that took place in this area. We call on parents to be cautious when raising children," Gaolaolwe said, adding her department would continue to provide trauma counselling to the Mokokoe family.
She said the social development department would provide the family with social relief in the form of grocery hampers for the funeral.
Family member Stompie Mokokoe said they were grateful.
"I cannot thank them enough. We didn't know how we were going to bury these children. We're so grateful and will never forget the support from the government during this difficult time," she said.
The funeral service will take place at Ikopeleng village.
tshehleb@sowetan.co.za
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