Community halls and other facilities in Langa have been opened to help the residents
AN ELDERLY woman died and about 350 houses were destroyed by a devastating fire in Langa, Cape Town.
Residents said the incident happened at midnight on Monday. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Schoolchildren were unable to go to school yesterday as their books and uniforms were destroyed in the blaze.
A resident, Sabelo Ngwama, 39, confirmed that his mother, Noluzile Nonkolelo, who was in her 60s, died in the fire.
"I was made aware of the fire by a young boy who kicked open the door of our house," Ngwama said.
"My mother was sleeping."
Ngwama he was devastated by the incident, adding that they had lost all their belongings including clothes and furniture.
"I have only managed to save two blankets, a jacket and a T-shirt."
Ngwama has called on residents and other people to assist their family with the burial of their mother.
"We don't know how we (are going) to bury her because my sister and I are unemployed."
Their family will still convene a meeting to decide on the funeral arrangements.
Nonkolelo is from Butterworth in Eastern Cape.
Another fire victim, Nokhwezi Mthintsilane, who lives with her husband and two children, said she also felt very bad about the situation.
"There is not enough space between the houses. That is why many houses have been destroyed by the fire.
"We left our house when we realised that there was nothing we could do."
She called on the City of Cape Town to provide them with building material so that they could build new houses.
"We don't know where we will sleep. I have only the clothes I am wearing," she added.
She also called on the authorities to undertake an investigation into the cause of the fire.
ANC councillor for ward 52 Mayenzeke Sopaqa said a strong wind was a contributing factor to the devastating fire.
Firefighters battled against the strong wind .
The city officials were compiling a list of fire victims to be provided with food, clothes and building material.
Sopaqa said: "Our biggest challenge is to build decent houses for the people. I will put a proposal for the construction of decent houses at a council meeting in the near future."
In the meanwhile, people would be staying in community halls and other facilities in Langa.
Mom dies, 350 shacks razed in Langa blaze
Community halls and other facilities in Langa have been opened to help the residents
AN ELDERLY woman died and about 350 houses were destroyed by a devastating fire in Langa, Cape Town.
Residents said the incident happened at midnight on Monday. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Schoolchildren were unable to go to school yesterday as their books and uniforms were destroyed in the blaze.
A resident, Sabelo Ngwama, 39, confirmed that his mother, Noluzile Nonkolelo, who was in her 60s, died in the fire.
"I was made aware of the fire by a young boy who kicked open the door of our house," Ngwama said.
"My mother was sleeping."
Ngwama he was devastated by the incident, adding that they had lost all their belongings including clothes and furniture.
"I have only managed to save two blankets, a jacket and a T-shirt."
Ngwama has called on residents and other people to assist their family with the burial of their mother.
"We don't know how we (are going) to bury her because my sister and I are unemployed."
Their family will still convene a meeting to decide on the funeral arrangements.
Nonkolelo is from Butterworth in Eastern Cape.
Another fire victim, Nokhwezi Mthintsilane, who lives with her husband and two children, said she also felt very bad about the situation.
"There is not enough space between the houses. That is why many houses have been destroyed by the fire.
"We left our house when we realised that there was nothing we could do."
She called on the City of Cape Town to provide them with building material so that they could build new houses.
"We don't know where we will sleep. I have only the clothes I am wearing," she added.
She also called on the authorities to undertake an investigation into the cause of the fire.
ANC councillor for ward 52 Mayenzeke Sopaqa said a strong wind was a contributing factor to the devastating fire.
Firefighters battled against the strong wind .
The city officials were compiling a list of fire victims to be provided with food, clothes and building material.
Sopaqa said: "Our biggest challenge is to build decent houses for the people. I will put a proposal for the construction of decent houses at a council meeting in the near future."
In the meanwhile, people would be staying in community halls and other facilities in Langa.
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