Cape Town - A devastating fire which took threeand-a-half hours to extinguish razed several homes in the Malibongwe informal settlement neighbouring Dunoon.
According to the local community who spent yesterday rebuilding their lives, 55 people were directly affected by the fire at the informal settlement which is located next to Malibongwe Drive leading to Parklands.
Asakhe Kobe, a member of the local Disaster Management team, emphasized the dire need for rebuilding materials, noting that many residents had not received promised housing since 1999.
“We need immediate help to rebuild our homes,” Kobe stated, highlighting the long-standing issues of inadequate infrastructure in the area.
Community member Emihle Kanityi, who lost her home in the fire, described the destruction as a collective loss. “Everyone around me has lost everything,” she lamented, speculating that the fire was likely due to an accident, exacerbated by the close proximity of the homes in the settlement.
While the response from firefighters was commendable, Kanityi pointed out that delays in accessing water hindered their efforts. “We need a quicker alert system and better firefighting structures to prevent these incidents in the future,” Kanityi said.
In the wake of the disaster, the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers swiftly mobilised resources to support the affected families. Ali Sablay from the organisation confirmed that they provided immediate relief, including clothing, and planned to distribute blankets the following day.
“We will remain onsite for the rest of the week to assist with meals and further assistance,” Sablay stated, while also advocating for a suitable evacuation site for displaced residents.
As the community grapples with the impact of this tragedy, voices are rising for significant changes in emergency preparedness and infrastructure development to ensure that such devastation does not happen again.
grecia.mgolombane@inl.co.za
Cape Argus