Cape Town - A pregnant woman who was due to deliver her baby died when a fire tore through a section of the Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Hout Bay on Sunday evening. The blaze also displaced 31 of her neighbours.
Phakamile Mabizela, 28, died when eight informal dwellings and one formal house caught fire and damaged electrical infrastructure as well as toilets in Walter Sisulu Street.
The City’s Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson, Edward Bosch, said a crew responded to reports that a number of structures were ablaze at Imizamo Yethu on Sunday after 9pm.
“Six firefighting vehicles and a rescue vehicle with a total of 26 firefighters responded to the incident. It took firefighters just over two hours to bring the fire under control. A total of eight informal structures were destroyed, leaving approximately 20 persons displaced. One person of unknown gender sustained fatal burn wounds,” Bosch said.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said a death inquest case had been opened for investigation. She said the cause of fire had yet to be determined.
Community leader Samkelo Krweqe said the Mabizela family were traumatised and dismayed. Krweqe criticised the City for deploying “empty fire brigades” and for not assisting the victims of the fire with housing starter kits.
Ward 74 councillor Roberto Quintas said services had been actioned to assist in clearing, relief and repairs. He said due to Covid-19 protocols no halls could be opened and the SA Social Security Agency had been requested to provide relief in terms of food parcels.
Quintas condemned the actions of community members who allegedly interfered with the City’s fire and rescue services, harassing them, breaking into fire vehicles and stealing equipment during the operation.
“The City has regularly had to clamp down on illegal building in the Hout Bay area, something for which there is often outrage and much disturbance and criticism, yet in instances such at these, when fire hydrants and water mains can’t be found due to being built over by structures, the reason for demolitions becomes clear and more necessary,” he said.
Quintas said firefighters were unable to access vital water points due to this, and attempts at breaking down illegal extensions on to road reserves in order to reach these were met with hostility and wasted more vital time.
“As the ward councillor, it pains me that we have lost two lives last night, and shames me that community members took it upon themselves to harass, intimidate and enter into conflict with servicemen and break into their vehicles, adding to the chaos and taking up much of the valuable response time,” he said.
Cape Argus