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Social media users are setting online platforms ablaze following a gruesome incident at the Homii Lifestyle building in Durban last week.
The tragedy unfolded when eight-year-old twins Aphile and Aphelele Dlamini allegedly plunged from a faulty lift on the fourth floor of the residential complex. Aphelele died at the scene, while Aphile remains in a coma at a Durban hospital.
The incident has left the nation in shock, raising urgent questions about building safety standards and the accountability of management companies overseeing student and family accommodation in city centres.
Today, mourners will gather to lay Aphelele to rest — a farewell that his grieving family never imagined they would have to make.
Their father, Khaya Dlamini, has accused Homii Lifestyle management and its security company of negligence and indifference. In a series of emotional social media posts, Dlamini vowed to fight for justice for his children.
“I will not be intimidated by criminal Homii and pathetic Boss Security,” he wrote. “I will not let this slide. My son did not die for nothing. My daughter is not in ICU for nothing. They better kill me — I will fight for the justice of my children.”
His words have since gone viral, sparking outrage and sympathy across social media platforms. Thousands of users have flooded Homii’s pages demanding answers, while others have accused the company of attempting to cover up the circumstances surrounding the fall.
According to Dlamini, Homii’s management has yet to contact the family directly following the tragedy.
“They don’t care,” he said. “No one came to see me or my wife. I had to go to the security office myself to demand the CCTV footage — they refused. Instead, they sent me a grocery bag and a teddy bear, which I rejected.”
Images of the twins and their devastated parents have since circulated widely online, amplifying public anger over the incident.
Homii Lifestyle released a brief statement late last week, expressing condolences to the Dlamini family and confirming that an internal investigation is underway.
“We confirm that the safety and well-being of our residents remain a priority,” the company said. “A full investigation is currently underway. We are cooperating fully with the authorities. In the interim, our team is providing counselling and support to those affected.”
However, the statement has done little to calm public outrage. Many have accused the company of offering “empty condolences” while failing to address long-standing complaints about maintenance issues in the building.
Residents have reportedly raised repeated concerns over malfunctioning lifts, exposed wiring, and delayed maintenance responses in recent months.
One tenant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the lift where the twins fell had been “acting up for weeks.”
“Sometimes it stopped between floors, other times it wouldn’t close properly,” the tenant said. “We kept reporting it. They said it would be fixed — now a child is dead.”
As public anger mounts, March and March Activist Group announced it will lead a protest march to the Homii building on Monday morning.
“We are marching for justice, accountability, and transparency,” said group spokesperson Thando Mthembu. “The Dlamini family deserves answers, and so does every resident who trusts that their building is safe.”
The eThekwini District SAPS has confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened.
Police spokesperson Captain Carmen Rhynes said investigations are ongoing.
“We can confirm that an inquest docket has been opened to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,” she said. “Further information will be released once investigations are complete.”
Meanwhile, a BackaBuddy campaign titled Justice for the Dlamini Twins has been launched to assist the family with funeral and medical expenses.
The campaign has already gained traction online, with donations pouring in from across South Africa and beyond. Supporters have shared messages of condolence, describing the tragedy as “preventable” and “a result of pure negligence.”
Legal experts say the case could lead to serious repercussions for Homii Lifestyle if found responsible for neglecting safety protocols. Building regulations require strict maintenance of elevators, with regular inspections mandated by law.
Durban-based safety consultant Mandla Khuzwayo said lift-related incidents often stem from poor oversight and lack of accountability.
“A properly maintained lift does not just fail like that,” he explained. “If the investigation confirms mechanical failure, someone must answer for it. A life has been lost — that’s not something that can be brushed aside.”
At the Homii Lifestyle building, grief still hangs heavy. Residents say the atmosphere has been sombre since the incident, with many too afraid to use the lifts.
Parents have been seen escorting their children up and down the stairs, while others are considering moving out altogether.
As the Dlamini family prepares to say their final goodbye to little Aphelele today, many South Africans are left asking how such a tragedy could happen in a modern, regulated residential building — and whether justice will ever truly be served.
For now, Aphile continues to fight for her life in hospital, her family clinging to the hope that one of their twins will survive the tragedy that has torn their world apart.
And as the sun rises over Durban this morning, one question echoes through the city and across social media: how many more children must die before accountability begins?
