Maria, Doddy and Manuel Teranes lost their home, their possessions and their beloved Delfi Greek Taverna but an extraordinary outpouring of support has helped them begin imagining a future again.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (19 September 2026) – Two weeks ago, the Teranes family stood outside the remains of a place that had been their home for 59 years, wondering what on earth would come next. Today, there is still enormous uncertainty but there is also something that was much harder to see through the smoke and devastation of that afternoon… hope.
Maria, Doddy and Manuel Teranes have shared an emotional thank you with Durban for the extraordinary support they have received since a fire devastated Delfi Greek Taverna and their family home above it on the 3rd of September.
“Overwhelming. Unbelievable. Very emotional and extremely touching,” Maria said of the response.
Over the past fortnight, messages, donations, practical offers of help and countless memories of Delfi have poured in. For a family who lost their restaurant and all their possessions, the support has helped them begin imagining their future.
“Thank you for all the years of loyalty and support, and for the compassion, love and humanity you have shown us at one of the most desperate times in our lives,” Maria shared. “The moral support has meant so much to us.”
Doddy echoed that gratitude, saying the community had given them “hope and strength for the future” at a time when their lives had been shattered.
For now, there is still plenty to work through. The future of the original building remains uncertain, with the family advised that a large portion of the upper level may need to come down. The hope, however, is still to rebuild Delfi on the same site if that becomes possible.
“We hope that, in time, we can also build a new Delfi,” Maria said.
Maria, Doddy and Manuel, along with their two dogs, have been staying temporarily at B-P Scout Camp in Burman Bush Nature Reserve after Nicky Burke offered them somewhere safe to stay. They hope to move into an unfurnished rental home by the end of September and slowly begin rebuilding their household. Doddy continues to receive treatment following significant smoke inhalation, while Maria is recovering from a persistent cough.
Related Stories
It’s Will’s Month: Grant Fietze Talks Life, Legacy and Getting Your Affairs in Order!
SPAR Celebrates 9 Wins at the 2026 Food & Home Awards!And there is one person the family will never forget… Ayakha Godlwana, the Palm Terrace chef whose extraordinary actions we have followed from the very beginning, ran into the burning building and rescued Doddy when she was trapped upstairs.
“Ayakha was God-sent, like an angel,” Maria said. “He risked his own life to save Doddy without thinking of himself. We will never forget what he did for us.”
The family has also thanked Durban firefighters, Metro Police, SAPS, emergency personnel and ALS Paramedics for everything they did that afternoon.
Meanwhile, the official “Delfi Will Rise From the Ashes!” crowdfunding campaign continues to grow. As of the 19th of September, more than R79,000 had been raised towards the R300,000 goal, providing practical support as the family rebuilds their lives and considers Delfi’s future.
The building may have been home to the family for 59 years, first as EFI Supermarket and later Delfi Greek Taverna but the past two weeks have reminded the Teranes family that its story extends far beyond those walls. Customers have shared memories of New Year’s Eve parties, weddings, engagements, 21st birthdays and celebrations held there over generations.
“We built it from scratch into what it became,” Maria explained. “People came back year after year. There were New Year’s Eve parties, weddings, engagements, 21st birthdays and so many celebrations. Our customers became part of the family. That is what Delfi became.”
There are photographs and keepsakes that can never be replaced, a home that needs to be rebuilt and many questions that still do not have answers. But two weeks ago, this family was standing in the aftermath of a fire that had taken almost everything familiar from them. Today, they have somewhere safe to stay, more than R79,000 raised, a community standing beside them and, most importantly, the beginnings of a plan for what comes next.
by 
