What was supposed to be a day of love and celebration quickly turned into heartbreak for Promise Nozibele and Nthabiseng Simelane, the home affairs office they were supposed to get married at was gutted by fire on Tuesday morning.
The couple who held their customary wedding in November last year, had booked the date in June to make their marriage official at the Germiston office.
They arrived at the building on Tuesday only to find it on fire, set alight during protests linked to planned evictions at the nearby Pharoe Park complex.
“I am out of words at this point because we had plans after signing here. We made reservations to celebrate with our families and now this fire happens,” said Simelane, who was also celebrating her 29th birthday on the same day. “We have our parents here. What a bummer, seriously. We’ve been planning this for two months and now... we are truly disappointed.”
I am out of words at this point because we had plans after signing here. We made reservations to celebrate with our families and now this fire happens
— Nthabiseng Simelane, bride
Nozibele said officials had indicated they might be able to move them to another home affairs office to complete the signing possibly later in the day or Wednesday but the couple just wanted to get married “as soon as yesterday.”
“I’m hopeful at this point because we planned for this day and we’ve got the resolutions. Hopefully they can squeeze us in somewhere,” he said.
The blaze is alleged to have been part of a wider protest in the Germiston CBD which saw streets barricaded and police deployed. Demonstrators, many of them tenants of the Ekurhuleni Housing Company (EHC), were protesting against their pending eviction. EHC says more than 400 families face removal from municipal-owned properties for non-payment of rent and rates with arrears exceeding R200m over 20 years.
For Simelane, the ruined wedding day has also cast a shadow over her birthday. “I’m no longer looking forward to celebrating it anymore,” she said quietly.
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