Fire broke out in Khayelitsha

By Anele Siwa
09 December 2007

On Saturday a fire broke out in QQ Section, which is part of Khayelitsha.

“Within two hours, more than 20 shacks had burnt to the ground leaving 105 people homeless, Says Western Cape Anti-Eviction campaign member Mzonke Poni.

According to Poni the QQ Section Concerned Residents Forum is trying to follow up reports that one person burnt to death.

“People first moved to QQ section in 1989, under the apartheid government,” says Poni.

According to Poni the residents cleared the bush and established themselves in shacks under the ESKOM electricity grid.

“The residents are demanding decent services and houses now,” says Poni.
“The Housing Department is currently on the scene providing the necessary building equipment to the community to rebuild the structures,” says Wilfred Solomons Head of the Disaster and Risk Management in the City of Cape Town.

According to Solomons 4 fire engines were dispatched in the area and the aircraft that they requested has been cancelled due to the rapid response of fire fighters and disaster management.

Attempts to get comment from the Provincial Housing Department have failed.