WATCH | Jeppestown fire: 1 of the deceased had just celebrated his birthday
The family spokesperson - Bhekani Zulu – said relatives Malibonge Myeni and Kwenza Zulu had recently moved to Johannesburg from Nongoma in KwaZulu-Natal.
The aftermath of a building in Jeppestown that caught fire in the early hours of Sunday, 25 August 2024, claiming the lives of at least four people. Picture: Jacques Nelles / Eyewitness News
JOHANNEBURG - The family of two men who died in the recent Jeppestown building fire says they came to Johannesburg in search of greener pastures.
On Sunday morning, a blaze ripped through a hijacked three-storey building in the inner-city, killing four people.
Among those who lost their lives were relatives, Malibonge Myeni and Kwenza Zulu.
On Friday, Myeni bought a cake to celebrate his 25th birthday along with his cousin, Zulu.
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They celebrated long into the night. A day later, both men died after the building they called home caught fire.
The family spokesperson - Bhekani Zulu – said the pair had recently moved to Johannesburg from Nongoma in KwaZulu-Natal.
“The reason we came here is to try and get jobs. As a man, you always have to find a way to make a living. But also to be able to send money back home, that’s why we came here.”
Zulu said while the men were badly burnt, he was able to positively identify them at the mortuary.
Bhekani Zulu, family spokesperson, said the two men came to Johannesburg from Nongoma (KZN) in search of job opportunities.
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) August 27, 2024
Zulu expressed frustration with delays from the police in releasing the bodies to the family for a funeral. TCG pic.twitter.com/Q3gr91jqzB