Cape Town - City of Cape Town officials are in the process of issuing kits for people to start rebuilding their homes after this past week's fire in the informal settlement of Silver Town in Khayelitsha, the city said on Sunday.
"Following the devastating fire that occurred in the informal settlement of Silver Town, Khayelitsha, and after an extensive assessment was undertaken, the city's disaster risk management centre can now confirm that 342 structures had been destroyed, displacing 1355 people," the city said in a statement.
"City services are still on [the] scene and the informal settlements department is busy issuing kits for people to start rebuilding their homes," it said.
The South African Social Services Agency (Sassa) had been, and would continue providing humanitarian relief. Donations had been pouring into the Khayelitsha fire station from concerned citizens. The city thanked everyone for their willingness to help.
The Gift of the Givers teams were also in Khayelitsha, arranging meals for the victims of the blaze.
"Working closely with Disaster Management and Sassa to avoid duplication Gift of the Givers has prepared a R2 million aid package to intervene with the following where necessary: provision of hot meals, bottled water, blankets, new clothing, school uniforms, stationery packs, mattresses, towels, hygiene packs, food parcels, plastic utensils and building material," the organisation said in a statement.
To assist, GoTG may be contacted toll-free on 0800786911. Alternatively, phone Badr Kazi on 0832281298 or Ali Sablay on 0826514195.
In a separate incident, a fire occurred in the Kosovo informal settlement in Philippi on Saturday night. About 120 dwellings were destroyed and some 1400 people had been affected. City officials were still on site assessing the damage, the city said.
Earlier on Sunday, Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane told journalists in Johannesburg the DA's public representatives would be in the area assisting with rebuilding for people throughout this coming week.
"We will be prioritising the matric learners who will be writing exams this coming week to ensure that the department of home affairs assist with the replacement of ID documents and birth certificates," he said at a news conference following the DA's last federal council meeting of the year.
Banking details to assist the Kosovo residents are as follows: Mayoral Relief Fund, Nedbank, account number 1158667043, branch code 198765 and ref A009.