Cape Town – A humanitarian crisis ensued in Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, as thousands of people queued to be registered following the devastating fire, which left them homeless and a family of three dead.
The City Disaster Management reported on Sunday that about 3 500 structures were ravaged by the fire, which started on Saturday morning and left an estimated 15 000 people homeless.
Spokesperson Charlotte Powell said: “The disaster management team is working closely with other City services, NGOs and the community to deal with the aftermath of the fire in Imizamo Yethu.”
A distraught Ntombizodwa Dulani, aunt of Siyabonga Nceza, 35, his wife Zukhanye Nceza, 28, and son Ayabulela Nceza, who would have turned 3 next month, spoke of how her family perished together in the Dontse-Yakhe Section.
It was after 1am when Dulani heard that there was a fire in “Dontsa” and rushed up there in her night clothes and saw the “raging flames”.
“We couldn’t get too close to the fire, so we called out his wife’s name, hoping that she would respond, but nothing.
“My nephew Thando Nceza persisted and grabbed the hose from the firefighter and tried to put out the flames himself.
“When the flames had died down a bit he went to look and saw the bodies.”
At the highest part of the settlement, survivor Mabel Nyama, 40, said she barely escaped with her two-year-old son. She was only able to grab some clothing and a few other valuables before the blaze destroyed her home, she said.
They were far from where donations were being distributed, she added, but could not leave their remaining property for fear it would be burnt, too.
There were several drop-off points where Hout Bay residents donated food, clothes and household goods over the weekend.
The MEC for Social Development, Albert Fritz, who visited the area on Sunday, said he was satisfied with how the City, NGOs and the community were handling the crisis.
Investigations will be conducted to determine the cause of the fires.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Humanitarian aid group Gift of the Givers are collecting non perishable food items, blankets, water, clothing and household items for those afflicted by the fire. Stationery and school uniforms are also required for learners who have lost everything in the fire.
The drop-ff point for donations is Unit 10, Central Park, 3 Paddy Close in Ottery.
The foundation are also collecting monetary contributions to purchase items for distribution.
Banking details for contributions: Gift of the Givers, Standard Bank, Pietermaritzburg, Account number 052137228, Branch Code 057525. Send deposit slip to [email protected] for acknowledgement. Section 18a Tax Certificates available on request.
The Shoprite Group are also encouraging customers who wish to support the disaster relief efforts in the area to do so by donating R5 or more to the Group’s #ActForChange Fund at the till point of any Shoprite or Checkers store across the country. All proceeds from the fund up to the end of March will be donated directly to relief efforts in the area, the group said.
All Shoprite and Checkers stores across the Western Cape will also be accepting non-perishable donations to assist the Imizamo Yethu fire victims. – Additional reporting by the Cape Times and IOL