THE family of 26-year-old Tiyandza Millenia Masilela says it received no communication from her employer after she was trapped beneath the rubble at Bhunu Mall and later confirmed dead.
Her aunt, Banelisiwe Nxumalo, told the Eswatini Observer that the family was left to establish for itself whether the employee trapped inside Identity Clothing store was their relative. She said the family remained at Bhunu Mall from Tuesday evening through the early hours of yesterday as emergency personnel worked to retrieve the trapped employee. Despite seeing the family waiting at the scene, no representative from Identity approached them to provide an update.
Nxumalo said the family had to make its own enquiries when Tiyandza’s body was eventually retrieved. They followed the body to Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, where they personally approached staff to confirm her identity. “We need answers from Identity Clothing store,” Nxumalo said, adding that no one from the company had spoken to them about her death.
She said the family wanted Identity to explain why Tiyandza was still inside the shop after what they understood to have been her knock-off time.
According to Nxumalo, Tiyandza was supposed to have finished work at around 5pm, yet she was later found trapped inside the store following the collapse at approximately 5:30pm.
The family said understanding the circumstances surrounding her final moments was part of the painful process of coming to terms with her death.
