A distraught single mother is battling to come to terms with the tragic deaths of her son and the two nephews she was raising in last week’s initiation hut fire.
Nokubongwa Khethwa, 36, of Ntabasgogo village in Sulenkama administrative area near Qumbu, last saw the three on the afternoon of Saturday June 24, when she and her neighbours were ululating and dancing as their boys left to embark on the traditional AmaXhosa journey to manhood.
Little did she know that her son, Londoloza, 18, and nephews Buhle, 18, and 16-year-old Siphamandla would not return from the mountain after their initiation hut caught alight.
Buhle and Siphamandla were her late sister Khayakazi’s children.
Khethwa had been their guardian since her sister died in 2013.
She decided to send the younger nephew with the other two boys to save on costs, although he was under the legal age of 18.
The fire occurred just 24 hours after the initiates arrived at the camp and were circumcised.
The fire has claimed six lives including that of a traditional nurse. Eleven people are still being treated in hospital while 14 others have been discharged.
Londoloza and another youth, Bubele Kilivile of Gungqwana, died on the day of the fire, June 25. Siphamandla died at Nessie Knight Hospital in Sulenkama the following day.
Buhle died at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane on June 28 after he had been airlifted from Nessie Knight.
“My son died inside the burning hut. I could imagine his screams for help and what was going through his mind as they were overwhelmed by the fire. I wish that this was just a nightmare. I cannot have all my three sons die in one go.
“No, this must be mistake,” she said, with tears streaming down her face.
Khethwa is the only surviving member of the family as she has no parents or siblings.
For 14 years Khethwa had been saving from the little she earned from temporary jobs, preparing for when her boys would want to undergo the rite.
She showed the Daily Dispatch the clothes she had bought her three charges, which they would have worn as amakrwala.
“Sending them to an initiation school was my pride. I sent all three at the same time thinking that I would do everything possible to make sure that their transitions in life would be the most memorable and celebrated.
“But little did I know that they would not come back alive. When I celebrated, ululated, sang and danced, I was bidding them their last goodbye.
“Now they are gone forever,” she said.
Londoloza and Buhle were in Grade 11 and Siphamandla was in Grade 9 at Ngangelizwe High School in Mthatha.
The three – along with two other initiates, Simamnkele Majiyeza, 18, and Bubele, as well as traditional nurse Lungile Mbanga, 33, will be laid to rest on Saturday at a combined state-funded funeral.
The provincial government and OR Tambo and Mhlontlo municipalities have committed to pay for all the funeral costs.
To date 10 initiates have been killed this winter season. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
A mother’s heartbreak
Nokubongwa Khethwa, 36, of Ntabasgogo village in Sulenkama administrative area near Qumbu, last saw the three on the afternoon of Saturday June 24, when she and her neighbours were ululating and dancing as their boys left to embark on the traditional AmaXhosa journey to manhood.
Little did she know that her son, Londoloza, 18, and nephews Buhle, 18, and 16-year-old Siphamandla would not return from the mountain after their initiation hut caught alight.
Buhle and Siphamandla were her late sister Khayakazi’s children.
Khethwa had been their guardian since her sister died in 2013.
She decided to send the younger nephew with the other two boys to save on costs, although he was under the legal age of 18.
The fire occurred just 24 hours after the initiates arrived at the camp and were circumcised.
The fire has claimed six lives including that of a traditional nurse. Eleven people are still being treated in hospital while 14 others have been discharged.
Londoloza and another youth, Bubele Kilivile of Gungqwana, died on the day of the fire, June 25. Siphamandla died at Nessie Knight Hospital in Sulenkama the following day.
Buhle died at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane on June 28 after he had been airlifted from Nessie Knight.
“My son died inside the burning hut. I could imagine his screams for help and what was going through his mind as they were overwhelmed by the fire. I wish that this was just a nightmare. I cannot have all my three sons die in one go.
“No, this must be mistake,” she said, with tears streaming down her face.
Khethwa is the only surviving member of the family as she has no parents or siblings.
For 14 years Khethwa had been saving from the little she earned from temporary jobs, preparing for when her boys would want to undergo the rite.
She showed the Daily Dispatch the clothes she had bought her three charges, which they would have worn as amakrwala.
“Sending them to an initiation school was my pride. I sent all three at the same time thinking that I would do everything possible to make sure that their transitions in life would be the most memorable and celebrated.
“But little did I know that they would not come back alive. When I celebrated, ululated, sang and danced, I was bidding them their last goodbye.
“Now they are gone forever,” she said.
Londoloza and Buhle were in Grade 11 and Siphamandla was in Grade 9 at Ngangelizwe High School in Mthatha.
The three – along with two other initiates, Simamnkele Majiyeza, 18, and Bubele, as well as traditional nurse Lungile Mbanga, 33, will be laid to rest on Saturday at a combined state-funded funeral.
The provincial government and OR Tambo and Mhlontlo municipalities have committed to pay for all the funeral costs.
To date 10 initiates have been killed this winter season. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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