Another heavy fire has Taiwan informal settlements in Site C, destroying more than 100 shacks and leaving more than 50 families homeless.
The fire broke out last Wednesday at around noon and spread quickly due to heavy winds.
When Vukani visited the area a day after late, they found residents trying to salvage any belonging they could and clearing debris. Others stood motionless and devastated where their homes had been.
Fire victim, Nolubabalo Mseki, said she was in church when the fire started and got a call from a neighbour about the fire. She rushed back but couldn’t save anything. She said that by the time she arrived, the fire had engulfed the whole area and all she could see was smoke.
“I lost my children's school clothes, stationery and essentials. I feel that this area is cursed. I mean just a month ago we had a fire breaking out in the same area and now this," she said.
City of Cape Town spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, said the City’s disaster risk management centre has activated a joint operations centre to oversee the response and recovery efforts following the fire in the Taiwan Informal settlement this afternoon.
For the moment, she said they have requested the City’s humanitarian partners to step in and provide soft relief to the affected persons, while assessments are done to determine the extent and impact of the fire.
The results of the assessments will be forwarded to SASSA and the National Department of Human Settlements for further provision of relief.
The DRMC will also activate relevant City services to help clear the fire site and restore any municipal services that might have been impacted.
Ward councillor, Khaya Khama, said usually from November until around March there is constant fires. He said this has been happening for years. He added that in winter there is usually a problem with flooding. He said the are is a constant challenge and could understand why residents felt it was cursed.
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