The father of the four-year-old twins, Isibabalo and Isiphiwe Xakwe, who died in a shack fire at Zamimpilo informal settlement in Langlaagte, Johannesburg, says he cannot stop thinking about the boys’ final words to him.
“My last moments with my boys were on Monday night,” said Abdul Ibrahim.
“While I was praying at night, the boys said, ‘Papa, you need to buy us data,’ because they were always on the phone watching cartoons. Then one said, ‘Papa, on Saturday you must please buy us pizza.’”
Ibrahim said buying pizza for his sons every Saturday after work had become a special routine.
“Those children were like my right hand, my stick, because I was always going everywhere with them. On Saturdays and Sundays when I knocked off, I would be with the boys, so I’m really shattered. I’m going to miss my boys,” he said.
“When I see their pictures, I cry. I can’t ever forget them.”
The twins died on Tuesday morning after a fire tore through the area, affecting eight shacks.
City of Johannesburg emergency management services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said: “Firefighters recovered the bodies of four-year-old twins who unfortunately succumbed to smoke inhalation and were confirmed dead by EMS paramedics on scene.”
Their mother, Simnikiwe Xakwe, 30, described the boys as playful children.
“The boys were very playful. They loved phones because they were always watching cartoons, and they loved food too,” she said.
Xakwe said the children were asleep when the fire broke out.
“Before the fire started, the boys were sleeping, and I had gone outside to throw away water. While I was outside, a truck carrying firewood arrived. I left the bucket to collect wood because we use a stove that uses wood for cooking,” she said.
“While my neighbour and I were collecting the wood, someone shouted that there was a fire and it was burning. So we have no idea how the fire started.”
The grieving mother said the family lost everything in the blaze, including identity documents, birth certificates and bank cards.
“I couldn’t even save a single thing,” she said.
She also spoke about the close bond she shared with her sons.
“Our relationship was very tight. The kids did not want to leave my side. Wherever I was, the boys were always by my side.”
A neighbour described the boys as “happy souls” who were deeply loved by both parents.
She said Ibrahim was rarely separated from his children and would even take them with him when going to nearby shops.
“When one of them got hurt while playing, their father would step in and make sure the children played nicely with each other,” she said.
Ibrahim described one of the twins, Isiphiwe: “He was very talkative and clever, and he wanted to work with me one day when he is older.”
Ward councillor Msimelelo Lobi said the community and city departments had stepped in to assist affected families.
According to Lobi, the settlement, which is near Riverlea, has experienced fires before, though no deaths were reported in previous incidents.
Lobi said the latest fire happened during a police operation targeting illegal miners in the area. “Unfortunately, people ran away because they were scared of being arrested and left a stove open [unsupervised],” he said.
The settlement has been classified as a category C informal settlement, meaning it cannot be upgraded and residents will eventually need to be relocated, he said.
“We cannot upgrade this informal settlement because where it is situated is dangerous. There are sinkholes, illegal mining and gas pipes that can be affected at any time.”
Lobi said affected residents had received support from Sassa and disaster management teams, while councillors, community members and others were helping to rebuild damaged shacks.
Xakwe said the family had received blankets, mattresses and help rebuilding their shack.
“The councillor has been supportive,” she said.
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