Windhoek shack fire kills two children, mother left with only her work uniform after tragedy

The last time Saveria Ishidhimbwa heard her children’s voices was on Saturday evening, when she tucked them into bed over the phone.
She told them she would see them in the morning after her shift at work.

“I called them from work at 20h00, and they told me they were eating porridge and milk. I told them to sleep and I’ll see them in the morning after my shift,” she says.

This was before she received the devastating phone call that her shack had caught fire – and her children were inside.

Ishindhimbwa, who works night shifts at a company in Olympia, yesterday told The Namibian she has lost everything.

The fire claimed the lives of her two children, Elias (6) and Laimi Ndapwoita (4) in Windhoek’s One Nation informal settlement in the Tobias Hainyeko constituency.

It took everything from her, she said – photos, trinkets, and her children’s drawings she has kept since they were born.

All she has left is the work uniform she wore when she received the call on Saturday night.

“I lost everything, my babies, I don’t have anything. I only have the uniform I had on when they called me to tell me my house is on fire and my children are in there,” she said.

Saveria’s sister, Raina Ishidhimbwa, says the siblings’ older brother went to the neighbours’ house to charge a phone since they did not have electricity at home.

“The older brother locked the house to take the phone to our neighbour’s house who has electricity, which is a bit far,” she said.

Raina said the children were allegedly alone in the house for only a few minutes before the fire broke out.

Community members tried to help put out the fire with water, but it was too late.

Raina said the family is still in shock and processing the tragedy.

“We don’t even know what to say … The wound is still fresh.”

National police spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi says the fire broke out at 21h00 after Ishidhimbwa left Elias and Laimi at home with their elder brother when she went to work.

“Allegedly the shack was engulfed by fire. It’s alleged that the mother left the two children at home with their elder brother when she went to work at around 16h00,” she says.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, and investigations continue.

Meanwhile, Khomas governor Sam Nujoma (Jr) says the tragic incident calls for an immediate response from the relevant authorities and stakeholders to speed up service delivery to prevent more fires.

“This tragedy is a painful reminder of the urgent need for safer living conditions for all our people. “We cannot continue to lose innocent lives to circumstances that are preventable,” he says.

Nujoma calls on good Samaritans, humanitarian organisations, businesses and members of the public to help the family.
“Come forward and offer support, and contact my office.”

Tobias Hainyeko councillor Christopher Likuwa has urged residents not to leave children unattended.

“Let us be aware when you leave the house that no one can play with fire or matches – especially as we are cooking with gas.”