Winter fires devastate informal settlements, leaving over 120 residents homeless

Gift of the Givers has stepped in to assist after a series of devastating fires displaced more than 100 people across multiple informal settlements in Cape Town.

Project coordinator Ali Sablay said the organisation responded to calls for urgent assistance from residents in KTC, Gugulethu, as well as in Eerste River and Belgravia.

“In just one night, we received three reports of separate incidents where numerous homes were destroyed,” Sablay said.

In KTC, Section 6, Gugulethu, approximately 36 informal homes were gutted, leaving close to 100 people displaced.

According to Ward Councillor Suzanne Zumana, this is not the first fire to ravage the area.

“Three months ago, another fire struck here. When I asked how the fire started, residents said they didn’t know. There is electricity in the section, so often the assumption is it was an electrical fault,” Zumana said.

“Fortunately, no one was injured.”

Sablay said: “Community members and fire victims in KTC reached out to us for urgent support. As the fire spread, residents lost all their belongings. We have deployed teams to all three sites to provide immediate humanitarian relief, including hot meals, clean drinking water, blankets, and hygiene packs.”

The City's fire and rescue services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, said they began receiving emergency calls from NY78 in the KTC informal settlement, Nyanga, just before 11pm on Monday.

“The fire required an aggressive response, as multiple teams from different fire stations were dispatched. An Incident Management Team (IMT) Type 4 was activated. By 2.45am, the fire was extinguished,” Carelse said.

“The Disaster Risk Management Centre is conducting an assessment. The SPCA also responded to treat a cat and dog that suffered burn wounds.”

Shortly after, at around 1.25am, emergency services responded to another blaze in Africa Siebritz Street, Hillview, Eersterivier.

“One informal structure was destroyed. Crews from Mfuleni were able to extinguish the fire within 40 minutes. No injuries were reported, and the cause is under investigation.

“At 5.05am, firefighters were called to a third fire in Barham Road, Belgravia, where about ten informal structures were destroyed, displacing more than 20 people," Carelse explained.

“Fire crews from Ottery, Wynberg, Epping, and Constantia worked to bring the flames under control by 6:15 am.”

Sablay expressed concern over the growing trend.

“We’ve noticed a rise in fires in informal settlements over the past few months. As people struggle to stay warm during the cold weather, they resort to unsafe methods, which tragically result in destruction.”

Cape Times