Tally of thousands of people affected by informal settlement fires in KZN, Cape Town continues to rise

JOHANNESBURG - The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements says it's providing temporary shelter for people who lost their homes in a fire in the Masinenge informal settlement.

Twenty-eight homes were burnt down on Thursday after a drunk man reportedly fell asleep whilst cooking and left his stove on.

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The department's Ndabezinhle Sibiya said some homeowners were not home during the fire and that no one was hurt.

“The team is also working on delivering much-needed relief in the form of temporary shelter, warm blankets, food, and other basic necessities.”

JOE SLOVO BLAZE

Meanwhile, another fire broke out in Cape Town, this time in the Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa.

The cause of the blaze is not yet clear.

A team from The Gift of the Givers was deployed to the community on Thursday night.

The humantarian aid organisation's Ali Sablay said hundreds of structures were affected.

"A Gift of the Givers team is currently on site at the Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa where hundreds of structures are currently burning out. The fire department is currently battling the blaze as the south easterly wind exacerbates the fire.

"This is the 11th fire in nine days for Gift of the Givers team members. Community members are in a state of panic, the emotions are very high as people try to grab whatever they can as the fire engulfs their structures."

ANOTHER BLOW FOR DUNOON

The South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO) said it was deeply saddened by yet another devastating informal settlement blaze in Cape Town's Dunoon.

In the second major fire in the area in December, hundreds of homes were gutted in the fire in the Ekuphumleni informal settlement in Dunoon on Christmas Day.

SANCO's Peninsula branch believes around 4,000 people have been left destitute from the second Dunoon fire.

Many residents have now sought refuge at the office of the township's ward councillor.

SANCO is now calling on neighbouring residents, government, relief groups, and others to rally for Dunoon's help.

The Gift of the Givers said the township's fire-stricken residents urgently needed blankets, mattresses and personal hygiene items.

Seventeen families also lost their homes this Christmas in the Freedom informal settlement in Nomzamo, Strand.

Over the past few days, Cape Town firefighters have been battling blazes in a number of communities including Mfuleni, Masiphumelele, Nomzamo in Strand and Du Noon.