Gift of the Givers hits the ground running as Imizamo Yethu fire leaves over 200 destitute
Cape Town - When notified of a fire ravaging the informal settlement of Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, Cape Town, humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers sprang into action.
City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said services were alerted to the fire shortly on Sunday shortly after 7pm.
“A total of 18 firefighting resources and 70 staff were on scene.
“Just after midnight, the blaze was contained and extinguished. However, crews were once again confronted by a volatile crowd blocking access to the fire.
“Law Enforcement and the South African Police Service had to be called on to stabilise the situation.
“Approximately 60 informal structures were destroyed and over 200 persons displaced.
“No injuries or fatalities were reported and the cause of the fire is unknown,” Carelse said.
Gift of the Givers spokesperson Ali Sablay said team members received frantic calls from the community, informing them of the fire through the Madiba section of the township.
“We then made contact with Disaster Risk Management teams who informed us the information was correct.
“The City of Cape Town’s fire department was busy putting out the blaze.
“An hour later, we were informed the fire department had to get more fire trucks in as the wind was not playing a good role. The fire was spreading rapidly. All credit due to the fire department.
“The community was very hostile last night, so neither disaster risk management and relevant stakeholders could go in,” Sablay said.
He said that while teams were gathering information in the township on Monday, the number of displaced persons could increase as more information streamed in.
One of the victims, Nomatamsanqa Khwatshube, 31, has been dealt a heavy blow.
“I was not in Hout Bay, I was in Noordhoek, and I received a call from my sister to say there is a fire.
“It was close to my place so they tried to take out some of the stuff like my suitcase,” the mother of two said.
Khwatshube, who also cares for her 26-year-old disabled sister, said they had managed to save her and her child’s clothes, her sister’s clothes and her fridge.
The heartbroken woman said she had lost everything, again.
“I was a fire victim from last year September, so I did not have much stuff in my house.
“All other stuff burnt out. I have nothing,” Kwatshube said.
Sablay said Gift of the Givers teams were on site in Imizamo Yethu on Monday and immediately started cooking warm meals for community members.
“Humanitarian aid such as blankets, mattresses, toiletry packs, and baby-care packs will be distributed and, during the course of the day, we will see the extent of the damage and see what other items are required to assist the fire victims,” he said.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
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