Multiple fires have ripped through informal settlements across the City, leaving nearly 1 000 people displaced and two people killed, in the space of six days.
The fires in Langa, Dunoon and Khayelitsha claimed at least three lives.
The City’s Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson, Quinton Leon, said firefighters responded to Joe Slovo in Winnie Mandela Street, Langa just after 2am on Wednesday and battled a blaze until 5.12 am.
“Resources on scene were four fire engines, five water tankers, one rescue vehicle and 33 fire personnel.
All persons were accounted for. The cause of the fire is still unknown,” said Leon.
Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said assessments had been completed which revealed that the blaze destroyed 60 structures and 200 people have been affected.
At the same time, in Ekupholeni informal settlement, Dunoon, 77 people were left homeless, and in the same area in Bhekela on Friday, a fire destroyed 29 shacks and left 114 people homeless.
Two people were also killed in the separate incidents.
Silvertown, Khayelitsha, was also struck by a fire ripping through a large number of homes on Sunday where the body of an adult was also discovered following the blaze.
Dunoon resident Nokuthula Zamani said she heard people screaming and when she went to inspect the fire it was already close.
“Everything has been destroyed, efforts to extinguish the fire were fruitless. At least no one was hurt in the house. We are hoping to be assisted with important documents such as ID, our children's birth certificates and with SASSA cards. We are devastated and don’t even know where to start rebuilding,” said Zamani.
Meanwhile, humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers has been stepping up with relief efforts to assist the different communities.
Powell said the City had alerted Sassa to the fires, as the agency responsible for providing humanitarian relief efforts.
“We have also reached out to our NGO partners to assist with meals, blankets, toiletries, baby packs, and any other essential needs,” she said.
Gift of the Givers project manager Ali Sablay said:“Gift of the Givers teams are busy with assessments in Joe Slovo, Langa. Teams are assisting the fire victims with hot meals, bottled water, toiletry packs, baby care packs, blankets and mattresses. Our teams are also still busy in Silvertown, Khayelitsha where a fire on Sunday evening left 540 people displaced. We are still assessing if there are any matric learners affected but there has been no reports that suggest that so far.”
Cape Times