Sandiso Phaliso
THOUSANDS of Masiphumelele residents left with nothing, have received a number of donations, but there remains a dire need for more assistance.
Sunday’s devastating fire destroyed the shacks of some of the City’s most vulnerable residents, many unemployed and who depend on piece-meal work and state grants.
They have nowhere to go. The community hall can barely accommodate 1 000 people. As the reality hit home on Sunday night, many people slept on the charred ground where their homes once stood.
Bonfires were lit and more than 1 000 people, still in shock, kept warm under blankets provided by the City. Yesterday morning they were fed bread and soup. The outside taps where they used to get water were rendered useless.
Long queues formed outside the community hall as people waited patiently to get water to drink and wash. Other queues were set up to hand out food and blankets.
Xolisani Ketse and Thembisa Jerry died in the fire that tore through Masiphumelele in the early hours of Sunday morning, destroying 800 shacks and leaving 4 000 people with nothing.
Nkosinathi Khuba, 40, and hundreds of others slept on the concrete floor of the community centre.
“We are still waiting for the building materials and food parcels. I have nowhere to go, no family,” he said.
Mlindeli Bafo could not salvage anything from his gutted shack. His only possessions are the clothes he is wearing. Bafo has stayed close to what is left of his shack, saying there is nowhere else to go. The hall is too crowded, he says.
Hundreds of people have found shelter with friends and family. People are hoping to salvage materials to rebuild their shacks, but there are fears that criminals will steal what is left of the structures, leaving many too scared to leave their plots.
The City sent in bulldozers to clear the land so that it can block off areas to create wide alleys to allow emergency vehicles faster access.
The City’s Mayco committee member for Human Settlements Benedicta van Minnen said officials were working with a sense of urgency.
Merci Net, an organisation working with the provincial Social Development Department, said donations were coming in and would be distributed when “legitimate affected residents” were known.
Community leader Malibongwe Dyasophi said the names of affected residents were registered on a list on Sunday.
Dyasophi said some residents were already building their shacks because they did not want to sleep in the hall and had no friends or relatives to accommodate them.
Even though people will have some material to rebuild, they have nothing else – no furniture, bedding, food or clothes. They are destitute.
“People are desperate and would accept anything that would make their lives better. What happened here is a tragedy,” Dyasophi said.
The people of Masiphumelele need your help.
Donations of food, toiletries, baby food, clothes and building material can be made by contacting: Merci Net on 0800 220 250. The Mustadafin Foundation on 021 633 0010/ 021 633 0060. Red Cross on 021 797 5360. Pick n Pay has set up trolleys in all its stores where donations can be made.
@PhalisoSandiso