Pics: Fires kill 5 leave 4500 destitute

Published Nov 30, 2015

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Siyabonga Kalipa

Cape Town - Five people died and at least 4 500 people were displaced when separate fires ravaged informal settlements across Cape Town at the weekend.

When the Cape Argus visited Masiphumelele near Fish Hoek on Sunday, survivors were trying to piece together what they could to start rebuilding their homes.

Residents said they needed to start from scratch with just weeks to go to Christmas.

One resident, Nosimilo Mani, who was close to one of the victims, Thembisa Jerry, who had died in the fire that started in the early hours of the morning said: “Thembisa was a very respectful person who loved her work, I have known her for a very long time and she was like a daughter to me. I will miss her very much.”

Another resident, Precious Mpahlwa, said she lost everything.

“I’m left with what I’m wearing. I lost everything. The fire was so strong that I could not save anything.

“The hardest part about this is that I have to start from scratch and it’s almost Christmas.”

She said if they had brick houses, shack fires would not occur, adding that they were promised houses a long time ago and nothing had happened.

An angry Sive Twane said they were going to take action because they were tired of empty promises.

“We will march in order to be heard, we have been asking for houses.

“All politicians do is come when it’s election time and never fulfil their promises.

“Our children get sick all the time because of the way we are living, this fire has even killed people.

“We are tired.”

The city’s fire and rescue spokesman Theo Layne said about 1 000 structures in Masiphumelele were razed, displacing about 4 000 people, and in Langa 125 structures were destroyed leaving about 500 people destitute.

“The cause of the fires are undetermined at this stage, and we have our people monitoring the situations,” Layne said.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said police officers were also on the scene in Masiphumelele on Sunday.

“The fire started at about 1am yesterday (Sunday) morning, two bodies were found.

“A post mortem will be conducted to determine gender of the bodies.

“An inquest case was opened for investigation.

“The investigation continues.”

Van Wyk said in Langa about 100 shacks burned down at Joe Slovo informal settlement.

Authorities are also still trying to establish the cause of that fire.

He added that when the fire was extinguished by the fire brigade, the body of a 41-year-old man was found – an inquest case was opened for investigation.

City’s disaster risk management spokeswoman Charlotte Powell said relief in the form of meals, clothing and blankets were provided to the victims of the fires by different NGO’s.

MEC for Social Development Albert Fritz said: “Of greatest concern is the seeming rise in the number and severity of incidents of fires at informal settlements.

“The department has dispatched social workers to provide trauma counselling, especially to the relatives of the deceased.

“We are appealing to the public to assist by donating what they can to our teams on the ground.”

Pick n Pay spokeswoman Tamra Veley said Pick n Pay was distressed to hear of the lives lost and homes destroyed in the Masiphumelele fire.

“We have placed donation trolleys in our stores in Long Beach, Tokai, Fish Hoek, and Constantia for those who wish to donate non-perishable food, and clothing to those who have lost so much.

“We have also donated R20 000 toward disaster relief and are working with city disaster management to make sure that those who need help are assisted as swiftly as possible.”

On Sunday morning, Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille extended the city’s condolences to the victims’ families.

“I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in these tragedies. We are in the midst of our fire season and I appeal to all residents to exercise extra caution during this time to ensure their safety,” De Lille said.

The ANC in the Western Cape on Sunday also extended condolences to the families of people who died in the fires.

“The ANC calls on the provincial government to make special provisions for the approximately 4000 people left homeless by the rampant fires in Masiphumelele, and a quick plan and assistance for them to rebuild their approximately 800 homes destroyed by the fires,” ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said in a statement.

“We send our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy.

“We are happy that our councillors and regional leaders are at the scene assisting the people who find themselves with nothing but the clothes on their back and must now answer the question of survival. Our people need more permanent structures and decent houses and this must be addressed as a mater of urgency,” Jacobs said. – Additional reporting by ANA

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