By Everson Luhanga
Phuti Caiphus Moremi arrived at the Tembisa Plaza on Wednesday with hopes of finally finding closure.
His wife, Kgabo Thabitha Moremi, left home on 13 July 2021 during the July unrest. She told Phuti and their four children that she was going to join the looters at the Plaza. But she has not been seen since.
That day, 13 people died when a gas cylinder exploded. The explosion ignited a fire which spread across several buildings. Some people became trapped in the Shoprite store and were burnt beyond recognition. Seven of the victims were never recovered.
Standing outside the gates of the shopping complex on Wednesday, Phuti told Scrolla.Africa that he knew she was somewhere inside.
“I have been everywhere,” he said.
“I have been in police cells, prisons, and mortuaries. I have been to sangomas and prophets in trying to trace and find my wife, without success. All arrows point inside the shop as there have been reports of remains of the people being found there.”
Phuti watched on as officials marched in and out of the complex all day on Wednesday as they finally set about recovering the missing victims. At approximately 3pm, a person’s remains were discovered; a near-complete skeleton.
The widower told Scrolla.Africa he hoped it was the remains of his wife.
He said although he wouldn’t be able to recognise her, all he wants is for authorities to help identify her remains so that he can bury her and close this chapter.
“This has been the most difficult time of my life. I used to do odd jobs but now I can’t as I have to look after the kids.
“I know she is amongst the people who died during the gas explosion. I want to give her a dignified funeral,” he said.
After hearing the news that the shops were in the process of being cleaned, he was happy in the hope that he would “meet” his wife.
When the remains were removed from the site, Phuti began to weep.
Another anxious man who is waiting for his wife is Cremildo Rodrigues.
Rodrigues said his beloved wife Silvia Rodrigues left home with her neighbour to head to the shopping centre with a crowd of looters.
“I admit that what they did was wrong and criminal. Those people have already paid the ultimate price by burning to death,” he told Scrolla.Africa.
“If there was hell on earth, they would have gone to hell for their crime, which was stealing.
“All I want now is to give the mother of my three children a dignified burial.”
The police have so far recovered the remains of seven people. Families wait in the hope that their loved ones are yet to be retrieved from the wreckage.
For nearly two years, the mall management couldn’t clean the burnt shops, citing the place was unsafe.
According to sources who spoke to Scrolla.Africa, the shop mall management was forced to clean up the debris because the place has to open for business.
Pictured above: Phuti Caiphus Moremi standing outside the gates of Tembisa Plaza on Wednesday with hopes of finally finding closure.
Photo by Everson Luhanga
