A Sebokeng family has been left without a home after a blaze destroyed a three-bedroom house and two cars, with the owner alleging that Emfuleni’s fire department arrived without enough water and returned only after the property had been gutted.
Matebatso Mangoenyana said she watched helplessly as the home and vehicles she had worked to pay off were destroyed in the fire last month.
The family managed to salvage only the clothes they were wearing. They are now sleeping at a relative’s home while Mangoenyana tries to find a way to rebuild her life.
“If they had enough water, my house and second car would have been spared. I am lost and pinning my hopes on God to come to our aid. My family and I are now sleeping at a relative’s home in the area. We are lost and plead for assistance to pick ourselves up,” Mangoenyana said.
The incident has raised fresh questions about the state of Emfuleni Local Municipality’s fire and rescue services, including the number of operational engines, the availability of fuel and water, expired licence discs and the condition of the municipality’s fire stations.
Mangoenyana said the fire was initially limited to her garage and the first vehicle when the firefighters arrived.
She alleged that the crew did not have enough water and left the scene to refill the truck.
By the time they returned, the flames had spread through the property and destroyed the house and both cars.
“Emfuleni fire department failed us because on their first response, the fire hadn’t spread from the first vehicle,” she said.
Her account has not been independently confirmed, and the municipality has launched an internal investigation into the incident.
Neighbours Tried To Fight The Fire
Thami Ntsiapane, who was at home in Sebokeng Zone 14 at about 15:00 when the fire started, said he noticed black smoke coming from Mangoenyana’s garage.
He rushed to the property and tried to open the garage door, but the handle was too hot.
“I sprang up and ran to the garage door, attempting to open it. The handle was too hot. I ran to the front door and knocked, calling for Matebatso and telling her that her house garage was burning,” Ntsiapane said.
Mangoenyana opened the garage door and one of her cars was already on fire, he said.
Ntsiapane and his best friend, Lerato Seruoe, tried to contain the blaze while waiting for municipal firefighters.
Ntsiapane said most neighbours stood outside and recorded the fire on their phones instead of helping.
“Neighbours gathered outside on their phones recording the entire scenario instead of helping us,” he said.
A municipal fire engine arrived several minutes later, but Ntsiapane said the response was undermined by the amount of water on the truck.
“They tried extinguishing the fire and failed because their truck carried little water. They left their hoses as a token that they were swiftly going to refill their tank. They returned hours later after the fire had burned everything to the ground and just collected their hoses and disappeared,” he said.
Ntsiapane and Seruoe fought the fire for more than four hours.
Their efforts could not prevent the blaze from destroying the property.
Mangoenyana said the loss was particularly painful because the house and vehicles had been fully paid for.
She became emotional while describing how her family’s belongings, home and source of security had disappeared in a matter of hours.
The family is now dependent on relatives while seeking assistance to recover from the fire.
Fire-Service Capacity Under Scrutiny
The Sebokeng fire has drawn attention to concerns about Emfuleni’s wider emergency-response system.
The municipality is reported to have only one functioning fire truck among three main fire engines, while other vehicles have allegedly been affected by mechanical problems, expired licence discs, water leaks and other administrative issues.
The Vanderbijlpark fire station, where the operational engine is stationed, is also reported to be partially damaged after the roof of the garage collapsed last year.
Employees who spoke about the condition of the service said the roof collapse pulled down pillars supporting the structure where the fire engines were parked.
One employee said the fire engine stationed in Evaton did not have a licence disc.
Another engine in Vereeniging was reportedly unusable because of severe water leaks.
The municipality is also said to have four medium fire pumpers and three skid units, although some were out of service because of maintenance problems or expired licence discs.
“There are three other fire engines that have been standing at Vanderbijlpark for many years because of licence discs. Last year, the roof of the garage where fire engines park collapsed and caved in, pulling down pillars holding the structure,” an employee said.
Firefighters also raised concerns about fuel shortages, saying the lack of fuel affected their ability to respond to fires and motor vehicle accidents.
“We can’t respond to any motor vehicle accidents or fire incidents,” one firefighter said.
The claims raise questions about whether emergency teams have the equipment, fuel and water needed to respond to fires quickly, especially in a municipality where a delay of only a few minutes can determine whether a blaze is contained or spreads through a home.
Municipality Launches Investigation
Emfuleni spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni was asked why the fire engine that attended Mangoenyana’s home allegedly arrived without enough water.
The municipality was also asked whether firefighters left their hoses while returning to refill the truck, how long it took for the engine to return and why the fire was not contained during the first response.
Questions were also sent about whether the engine had enough water and fuel when it was dispatched, how many fire engines were operational and why other vehicles were allegedly out of service because of expired licence discs, mechanical failures and water leaks.
The municipality was further asked about the condition of the Vanderbijlpark fire station, the safety of firefighters working there and whether there was a plan and timeframe to restore the facility.
Sangweni said an internal investigation had been launched.
He said the report, including information about the fire engines, would be made public.
The findings are expected to clarify the sequence of events at Mangoenyana’s property and determine whether the response complied with the municipality’s procedures.
The investigation will also have to establish whether the truck had enough water when it left the station, why it returned to refill and how long it took to come back.
Until the report is released, the family’s account remains an allegation rather than a finding against the municipality or its firefighters.
Midvaal Steps In
While Emfuleni struggles to restore its emergency-response capacity, neighbouring Midvaal Local Municipality has assisted with fires in parts of Emfuleni.
Midvaal Mayor Peter Teixeira confirmed that the municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services had responded to three fires in Emfuleni areas over the past year.
The incidents included fires in Dreamlands, Debonair Park and Three Rivers.
Teixeira said memoranda of understanding were in place between the Sedibeng District Municipality and Midvaal, Lesedi and Emfuleni municipalities.
The agreements provide a framework for cooperation and mutual assistance during emergencies.
“Midvaal Local Municipality takes pride in its well-equipped fire and rescue services. Over the past five years, Midvaal has invested more than R30 million in modern firefighting equipment, specialised vehicles, technology and other critical resources, strengthening its emergency response capacity and ensuring that firefighters have the necessary tools to protect lives and property,” Teixeira said.
The arrangement means neighbouring municipalities can assist one another, but it also highlights the difference between an emergency service with sufficient equipment and one struggling to keep its vehicles operational.
For residents, the most important issue remains whether help will arrive in time when a fire breaks out.
Calls For Accountability
DA mayoral candidate in Emfuleni, Kingsol Chabalala, said Mangoenyana’s loss was painful and questioned why the municipality had not restored a fully functioning Vanderbijlpark fire station more than a year after it was damaged.
“A fire station is not a luxury – it is critical emergency infrastructure. When a fire breaks out, every minute matters: residents should not have to wonder whether firefighters have a functioning station, sufficient vehicles and the equipment needed to save lives and protect property. The Democratic Alliance is demanding full accountability from the Emfuleni municipality,” Chabalala said.
He said government’s first responsibility was to protect the lives, property and dignity of the people it served.
Mangoenyana’s family now faces the consequences of a fire that began in a garage and ended with the destruction of an entire home.
Her account has placed the municipality’s emergency services under scrutiny at a time when residents are already questioning whether Emfuleni has the resources to respond to basic disasters.
A fire engine that arrives without enough water, a delayed return to the scene, vehicles standing idle because of licence or mechanical problems and a damaged fire station all raise questions that cannot be answered by condolences alone.
The municipality’s internal investigation will determine what happened and whether any officials or systems failed.
For Mangoenyana, however, the investigation cannot restore her home or return the two vehicles that were destroyed.
“If they had enough water, my house and second car would have been spared,” she said.
Her family is now waiting for assistance while the municipality prepares its report and residents wait to learn whether Emfuleni’s fire and rescue service can protect them the next time flames threaten their homes.