It is important to buy winter materials that are approved by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). Safety should be considered as a priority by our people, mainly by those who stay in shacks.

Almost every year we come across several shack fire stories during winter. Parents should take care of their heating equipment such as heaters, candles and paraffin stoves, mostly at night.

They must stop buying the above-mentioned materials on the streets, especially if those materials don’t have an SABS logo,  to avoid the danger of causing unnecessary fires in their homes.

I urge all parents, brothers and sisters to avoid leaving their children home alone when heating equipment is turned on.

Sometimes good children make bad choices, which mostly lead to regret and nightmares. Winter is here to stay for a few months, and we must ensure that when it leaves, it must leave empty-handed – not with our beloved one’s lives. Keep matches and lighters away from children’s reach, and never leave burning candles unattended.

Miyelani Hlungwani, Mukhomi, Limpopo