KZN family in shock after firefighter dies in wildfire
The family of one of the firefighters who perished while trying to put out a wildfire in the Midlands says her children have been traumatised by her death.
Ntombifuthi Ngcobo and five of her crew members lost their lives in the Midlands on Sunday.
Newswatch was at her family home in Mpophomeni on Wednesday.
The family who gathered at the home of the 42-year-old mother of three was quiet, visibly in shock by what had happened.
READ: Official request made to classify some fire-hit KZN areas as disasters
Her sister, Nomvula Nxele, says Ngcobo, who's been a firefighter for ten years, left for work on Friday morning as she always did.
She said they did not expect that they would be burying her this week.
Nxele said her sister was the sole breadwinner of the entire family, supporting six of her siblings and her elderly parents.
"She was a loving person. She loved her children and took care of them. She was the strongest member of this family."
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She said Ngcobo's children are heartbroken, especially her eldest, who is in matric.
"They haven’t been to school all week. They have lost hope of furthering their studies because it was their mother who was saving up for their education."
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