A woman and her three little children were found dead from coal stove inhalation in a shocking incident in Sicelo, Meyerton, in Midvaal.
Midvaal Family Dead From Coal Stove Inhalation
Nasiphi Ludwele, 35, and her three children tragically lost their lives after inhaling the smoke from a coal stove overnight on Friday, June 14, in their modest two-room home.
The grandmother of the children, who is Nasiphi’s mother, discovered the bodies the following afternoon in what can only be described as a scene of unimaginable sorrow.
Nasiphi’s husband is currently in the hospital, fighting to recover from the same deadly fumes that claimed his family. The children, aged 16, seven, and just two months old, were trying to stay warm during the brutally cold night. Tragically, they succumbed to the toxic effects of coal inhalation.
Nolizwi Gogotya (50), Nasiphi’s distraught mother, shared her heartache and frustration with the Daily Sun:
“I’m very angry with my daughter as she didn’t listen to me and chose to use this dangerous coal. They had never slept with the stove in the house before, and why they did on that Friday remains a mystery.”
The grief-stricken grandmother is grappling with the loss, reflecting on the warnings she gave her daughter, who now feels tragically unheeded.
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Grief And Sadness In Sicelo
The local community is in shock, mourning the loss while also expressing fear and uncertainty about their own safety. Resident Mokalo Nkotopane, 45, voiced the community’s concerns.
“We are now going to be scared to use these mini stoves, thinking they are safer than Impala, but they kill the same way. We don’t buy heaters because no one has connected electricity illegally, as the Midvaal Municipality is strict with water and electricity regulations,” Mokalo said.
Many residents, already struggling with the high cost of living, now face the added burden of fear as they grapple with how to keep warm safely.
Gauteng police spokeswoman Captain Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened to probe the deaths.