Residents of Pomona informal settlement yet to rebuild after devastating fire
Gift of the Givers Foundation and other groups rallied behind the community after 200 shacks were burnt on Monday night and left hundreds of people homeless.
JOHANNESBURG - The Gift of the Givers Foundation said on Wednesday most of the families whose homes caught fire at Pomona informal settlement, in Kempton Park, hadn’t managed to rebuild the structures.
The disaster relief organisation and other groups rallied behind the community after 200 shacks were burnt on Monday night and left hundreds of people homeless.
It was believed that the blaze was caused by a gas cylinder from an unattended stove.
The Gift of the Givers’ Emily Thomas said it would take some time for residents to rebuild.
“Up until last night when we left the site, there was not much happening in rebuilding. Although, there were a few people who started rebuilding but not much was happening. Today, the rebuilding should start but remember that there is private property there and those technicalities must be sorted out.”
GIFT OF THE GIVERS INTERVENES IN KEMPTON PARK FIRE that displaced 900 people. Items required when building recommences include roof sheeting, wooden poles, food parcels & https://t.co/GuKZy54BE1 Emily Thomas 0836520315 & Badr Kazi 0832281298 for corporate contributions pic.twitter.com/anViJul4C0
— Gift of the Givers (@GiftoftheGivers) October 1, 2019