Close to 300 people displaced in raging Imizamo Yethu fire

Cape Town - Most of the 300 Imizamo Yethu residents who were left destitute after a fire ravaged their homes on Sunday were still recovering from last year’s devastating fire.

Two men were killed when the fire ravaged more than 100 shacks and displaced more than 200 people on September 17.

Sunday’s blaze engulfed at least 60 shacks, but its impact was more devastating to those left homeless by the previous fire.

The City’s Fire and Rescue Service said they were alerted of burning structures in the area shortly after 7pm.

“Just after midnight the blaze was contained and extinguished. However, crews were once again confronted by a volatile crowd blocking access to the fire,” Fire and Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said.

He said that a total of 18 firefighting resources and 70 staff were dispatched to battle the raging fire.

“Approximately 60 informal structures were destroyed. No injuries or fatalities were reported and the cause of the fire is unknown,” said Carelse.

Resident Nomatamsanqa Khwatshube, 31, said she lost everything.

“I was not around when the fire started, I was in Noordhoek. I received a call from my sister telling me that there was a fire. They tried to take out some of my stuff.

I didn’t really have a lot because I was a fire victim from last year’s September fire as well. All my documents burnt; I don’t have an identity document or anything. My 3-year-old daughter and sister who has autism also have nothing and no place to stay,” she said.

Disaster response NGO Gift of the Givers said teams were on the ground assisting the affected residents.

“We received frantic calls just after 7pm on Sunday where they informed us of the fire here in Madiba Section.

Our teams for the last five years have responded to fires in this very same area on numerous occasions,” said Gift of the Givers project manager Ali Sablay. “So far we are here with community leaders and disaster management teams who are assisting.

“There’s close to 300 people now homeless. Our teams are on the ground with hot meals, baby packs, toiletries, blankets and clothes.

“The situation is dire and people are frustrated.

“Many of them are telling us that they haven’t recovered from the last fire and they don’t have the means to buy building materials and are hoping the national and provincial government will assist,” he said.

Cape Times