About 800 people displaced, following fires across three Cape informal settlements

About 800 people are displaced, following four informal residential fires, reported, on Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday.

The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Centre completed assessments of all four sites on Sunday. It says 339 structures were destroyed.

SUPPLIED: Gift of the Givers

These include areas in Dunoon, Mfuleni and two fire incidents in Langa.

‘’In Mfuleni, where 200 structures were destroyed, affecting 410 persons, the Councillor and a representative of the Western Cape Education Department are currently looking for halls to accommodate those affected. At the rest of the sites, affected persons have taken up shelter with family and friends in the areas,’’ said Charlotte Powell, City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson.

‘’The fire in Doornbach (ZweZwe) destroyed 71 structures, affecting 158 persons. The first fire in Langa, reported just before 19:30 last night, destroyed 36 structures, leaving 123 people affected. The second incident, in the same vicinity, destroyed 32 structures, with 68 people affected,’’ she added.

Humanitarian organisations, Gift of the Givers and Islamic Relief, will provide humanitarian assistance at the various sites for the next five days. This includes hot meals, food parcels, mattresses, clothing, and hygiene packs to those affected.

‘’Various City departments including Electricity, Solid Waste and Water & Sanitation are assisting with clearing fire debris and attending to damaged/compromised infrastructure. The Informal Settlements Management Department and the National Human Settlements Department are actively engaging the affected communities to discuss plans for rebuilding,’’ said Powell.

 

Done By: Mitchum George