Pretoria - Good Samaritans have united to assist residents of Cemetery View, who lost their belongings to a fire that engulfed the informal settlement.
Homeowners and churches in the east of Pretoria joined hands with SA Cares for Life and the Living World Church to feed and clothe over 200 men, women and children who are in dire straits since Sunday’s incident.
Church-goers and activists worked tirelessly to sort food parcels from the City of Tshwane and clothes, blankets and cutlery donated by neighbours and other churches.
The work was done to assist the residents, who told Pretoria News they would rather rebuild their wood and plastic shacks than relocate to temporary shelters such as churches and community halls.
Danger Dube and Kudzanai Hanyani from Zimbabwe and Motsomi Phafa said moving to temporary shelters was not an option they would consider.
Phafa said: "We are always grateful for the assistance we receive from the churches and the community. We do not know where we would be without them. However, moving is just not an option for us.
“This is not our first fire in our settlement or the Plastic View informal settlement on the other side of the road. We persevere and make it. It just sucks because plastic burns easily, and that is why our shacks keep burning.”
Their stance against occupying temporary shelter in times of difficulty made sense to Pastor Wilmar Grové of Living World, who said the place had become their home and the people around them were their family.
“That is what they know and what they are accustomed to. To move to a temporary place, for them, feels like they would need to try and get used to another environment, as opposed to being surrounded by their loved ones,” said Grové.
He said what was important was to get them assistance and people coming together to ensure they were loved and cared for.
Grové said they were grateful for everyone who donated but still needed volunteers and cutlery because there was not enough to give every one of the 407 households that burnt down.
Managing director of SA Cares for Life, Sanet Fagan said they were ensuring they fed the people every day, but she could see the food was going to run out eventually.
She called on people and organisations who could help to feel free to visit the church and make their donations, even anonymously.
Pretoria News