Easter weekend fires at informal settlements have claimed two lives, left two people seriously injured and hundreds more displaced in Cape Town.
“Major incidents were declared, with two occurring in Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa, in Doornbach, Mfuleni and Khayelitsha. A total of 349 structures were lost and damaged, with 799 [people] displaced,” said safety and security MMC JP Smith.
“Sadly, two [people] lost their lives, with another two suffering serious injuries.”
“The frequency of fires in informal settlements over long weekends and public holidays is of great concern,” he added.
Easter weekend fires kill two people in Cape Town
Hundreds displaced as fires ravage informal settlements
Image: Gift of the Givers
Easter weekend fires at informal settlements have claimed two lives, left two people seriously injured and hundreds more displaced in Cape Town.
“Major incidents were declared, with two occurring in Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa, in Doornbach, Mfuleni and Khayelitsha. A total of 349 structures were lost and damaged, with 799 [people] displaced,” said safety and security MMC JP Smith.
“Sadly, two [people] lost their lives, with another two suffering serious injuries.”
“The frequency of fires in informal settlements over long weekends and public holidays is of great concern,” he added.
Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers responded to the plight of families left homeless.
“It’s a bleak Easter weekend for the affected families as they could save no belongings with schools opening [this week]. Credit due to the City of Cape Town fire department for containing the blaze. Gift of the Givers teams will be on site ... to assist the families with humanitarian assistance.”
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