The grandmother of two young children who died in a shack fire in Snake Park has spoken of her grief and horror. Three-year-old Seplele Gumede and his five-year-old sister Mbali were trapped in the burning shack on Monday.

Their grandmother Nelisiwe was also hurt in the blaze and is recovering at Leratong Hospital.

Sitting in a hospital robe with a drip attached to her arm and her leg bandaged, Gumede recalled waking up to find her shack on fire. She said she ran out of the shack screaming for help.

“When I opened my eyes I realised that there was fire and I took a blanket and covered myself,” said Gumede.

Neighbours tried to help by dousing the fire with buckets of water.

They complained that if service delivery is not sped up in their area, accidents like this might continue to happen.

Gumede said she had been on the waiting list for an RDP house for years and still there has been no movement.

The funeral is expected to be held on Friday.