Burnt house was always a ticking bomb, victims say
Tumelo Mouwane | Wednesday September 23, 2015 17:01
The townhouse in Lobatse was gutted by fire that was believed to have been caused by an electrical fault. A report compiled by the two teachers and submitted to school authorities, including the supplies office, five months ago lists a litany of fire hazards in the house.
The report lists electrical faults, falling ceiling, loose tiles, dysfunctional pantry doors, door locks and windows among a list of problems in the house.
Yesterday, the two victims, Hendricks Albert and Patrick Paraminase told Mmegi that they had reported the faulty electrical cables and other health hazards, months before Sunday’s blaze. The teachers said: “We moved into the house on May 26, 2015 when we came to work at Chichi and upon moving into the house, we found a number of health and safety hazards.
“Our main concern was the electricity. Live electric cables were hanging from the ceiling and sometimes the power would go off for a number of days while other houses in the neighbourhood were not interrupted.
“The ceiling was falling down and the floor tiles were loose. The windows had no hinges, the doors had no locks and water dripped from the taps. “We reported all the glitches and despite promises, nothing happened. We kept going back and forth and no action was taken.” Paraminase said his belongings destroyed were worth P65,000 while Albert said he lost property worth P80,000.
The school’s headmaster, Paul Mmelesi, confirmed that the two teachers had reported the house’s condition in May.
“The two teachers came to my office sometime in May and handed me a number of complaints about the house,” Mmelesi said.
He however declined to divulge further information saying the matter was not within his jurisdiction to comment on.
A Mmegi news crew took a tour of teachers’ houses in the area, uncovering many complaints from other teachers involving faulty electricity and ceilings.
One teacher, who lives near the burnt house, said on condition of anonymity, that her own home had similar problems and she was forced to buy bulbs now and again due to the faults. “I have a serious problem too. In fact I suspect most of us here are on an electrical fault line and the houses may explode anytime.
“The electricity always burns bulbs. Sometimes installing a new bulb trips all the switches. The wall is cracked and the tiles are coming off. I am only living in this house because I don’t have a choice.”
Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) secretary for safety and health, Monica Legwale, attributed the blaze to what she called authorities’ negligence and reluctance. She said the incident could have been prevented had relevant authorities been proactive. “As the teachers union we have worried about teacher’s welfare but nothing has been done,” Legwale said. “If the relevant authorities had taken the teachers’ concerns thoughtfully, their expensive properties wouldn’t have burnt in that house.” Legwale said the burnt house was just the tip of an iceberg in which teachers across the country were living in horrendous conditions.
She added: “There are many disheartening living conditions out there. For example there is a teacher’s house in Middlepits where one can see the next house through a crack on the wall and where the ceiling fell and electric cables are exposed.
“Teachers houses in Nata are also in a very dilapidated state. In fact, they are equally dangerous. We are seriously demoralised.”
Legwale said BOSETU is sensitising the education ministry about its concerns and plans are also afoot to mobilise teachers into leaving government houses.