Post Fire in Khayelitsha

Post Fire in Khayelitsha
Liviwe Finca

It is often easy to generalize the repercussions of an abrupt fire but it is those who were affected that cannot imagine how life will be. This dawned to the many whose homes were burned in a fire that broke out late yesterday afternoon in Site B, Khayelitsha. It is by means of the fire rescue services that the fire did not result in any tragedy nor injuries.

When the fire started, only two fire- fighters had been present to help combat the blaze. According to a resident in the area, the water hoses which were utilized by the fire- fighters were not enough to nip the flames. That led the greater majority to take matters into personal account by allegedly confiscating the hoses to curb the blaze. “The fire was burning the homes from the sidelines. I realized that the two hoses which were used were not enough. Within a minute, the hoses were being handled by one of the residents who soon got help from younger men around the area. They spat the water from the top, side and bottom,” Donald Vusi Puza who is a resident expressed.

The residents whose homes have been damaged were relocated to the Khayelitsha, site B community hall to find refuge for the night. The number of people who have suffered loss amount to forty including their children. Cape Town Fire spokesperson Theo Layne says four fire engines and about 28 firefighters were on the scene. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire will be investigated.

Images and video footage by Donald Vusi Puza

The Reclaim Protest

#The Reclaim the city initiative held a protest on Tuesday at the Cape Town CBD, this was because they claimed that public land was sold to Growth point properties and that the City lost up to R140m on the auction because they undervalued it , they went on to say that it is a gift of their best land that is sold to one of the wealthiest companies on the JSE. They say that public land should never be sold in a housing crisis . And if it is, then the money should be used for basic services or affordable housing for poor and working class people. It is said that they visited everyone including the deputy mayor Ian Neilson who was in charge but none of them actually took their complaints into consideration. By Emihle Nogemane