The Inkatha Freedom Party calls for a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire that ripped through the Lakehaven Child and Youthcare centre in Sea Cow Lake where 8 people died this morning.
“We are saddened to hear of this tragedy that has struck this orphanage which serves as a place of refuge for children. In order to prevent such tragedies it is very important that the probe is undertaken to ascertain the cause of the fire. This must be done in order to determine whether there was any negligence on the part of management or if the fault was beyond their control. Those who are charged with the safety and protection of vulnerable children must ensure that our children are safe at all times. Safety measures must be in place and all electrical appliances and infrastructure need to be maintained in keeping with safety requirements,” said IFP Provincial Spokesperson on Social Development, Mrs Nkwanyana MPL.
“It is up to the authorities, including the Department Social Development to urgently conduct an audit on the state of safety measures at orphanage homes around the province to ascertain compliance. This will assist in identifying faults and repairs required to be done in order to prevent such incidents. It is also important that such places have evacuation plans and drills are conducted on a regular basis so that residents and staff will know how to respond in an emergency. We believe that prevention is better than cure,” continued Mrs Nkwanyana.
“We would like to send our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and wish those who were injured a speedy and full recovery,” concluded Mrs Nkwanyana
Issued By:
Mrs Ncamisile Nkwanyana
IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson on Health
078 302 3991
Media Queries:
Mr Phendulani Biyase
IFP Media Officer
073 024 5675
