The City of Cape Town firefighters are currently battling a blaze in Masiphumelele and surrounds while calling on all South Africans to help with donations!
Western Cape, South Africa (18 December 2020) – A devastating fire that ripped through the Masiphumelele informal settlement near Fish Hoek seems to be under control the City’s Fire and Rescue Service said on Friday.
The City of Cape Town Fire Services, Disaster Risk Management, Human Settlements teams and other officials are on the scene in Masiphumelele where a fire has torn through approximately 1 000 dwellings (initial counts). Emergency services are battling to bring the fire under control primarily due to the gale-force winds.
“The crew from Kommetjie Road quickly responded to the fire in Masemola Street, which was being fanned by strong winds and spreading at an alarming rate,” said Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse yesterday.
The City is appealing to members of the public to please donate essential items such as blankets, baby food, nappies, baby milk and non-perishable food to the organisation Living Hope in Masiphumelele.
Once the fire has been brought under control completely, the City will start to conduct a verification process of the affected residents; the City’s Solid Waste Management Department will clear the debris; sites will be demarcated, and affected residents will be issued with a proof of residence certificate as proof of their residency in future when they rebuild or are issued with emergency kits in accordance with the disaster declaration.
The City’s Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato, has indicated that he will declare a local disaster within the next 72 hours and the Western Cape Government has been engaged already for an emergency gazetting of the local disaster, which is expected by next week. Thereafter, funds for the emergency relief material will be able to be accessed. The City will do its best to expedite the process as far as it is within its power to do so.
“This is in terms of a new process. Due to National Government budget cuts, the City is no longer able to offer the extra service of providing fire and flood kits to residents outside of declared disasters. For more than a decade, the City delivered a unique service by issuing emergency fire building kits to residents as soon as they had been affected by a fire. Cape Town is the only metro in South Africa that offered this additional service outside of declared disasters.
The National Department of Human Settlements, however, has drastically reduced housing funding to all provinces due to the National Government’s weak financial situation. The City continues to call for conditional grants not to be cut and for other solutions to be found nationally,” said Councillor Booi.
It is believed many affected residents will be staying with friends and family in the area. The City is doing everything humanly possible to assist our affected residents.
How you can help:
Donate to Living Hope who is coordinating the relief efforts: 082 465 9067
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