Festive season takes a bleak turn for victims of Langa fire
A sombre atmosphere descended on Langa after a fire on Boxing Day razed about 150 homes, leaving 450 people destitute.
The fire broke out just after 8pm at the Joe Slovo informal settlement, with firefighters managing to bring the area under control only in the early hours of Friday morning.
“It’s sad, just so sad seeing people sit around and cry. But a day ago, they were happy and celebrating,” said resident Mkhaya Lux.
“They (affected residents) felt so sad and emotional, some of them, they are crying and they are still shock,” she said.
The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management unit confirmed that about 150 structures were affected and 450 persons displaced, but no injuries or fatalities were reported.
Sub-council 15 chairperson, Angus McKenzie, confirmed that the City’s Disaster Risk Management team would undertake damage assessments.
Mr McKenzie, who was was on the ground at the time, said: “This is extremely sad, because this took place two years ago as well, same place and around the same time,” he said.
He said the City’s solid waste, electricity as well as water and sanitation departments would be deployed to the scene to offer relief to the affected residents.
“(The) national (Department of) Human Settlements are in Cape Town at the moment and hence will more than likely provide starter kits at a later stage,” he added.
Community leaders in Joe Slovo were not ready to speak to the media at the time of publication.
Mr McKenzie confirmed that some residents had already started rebuilding, salvaging old supplies from the piles of burnt rubble scattered around the settlement.
A number of children have also lost their school stationery and books.
“We have parents holding their heads in their hands because some of them saved up and spent lots of money, only to see it go up in smoke. This is extremely sad and any help will be appreciated for the people,” Ms Lux said.
Humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, also jumped in to assist.
Ali Sablay, the organisation’s director, said a team of volunteers was currently on site at the Joe Slovo informal settlement.
He added that this was the 11th fire in the past nine days that Gift of the Givers had responded to.
“Community members are in a state of panic; the emotions are very high as people try to grab whatever they can as the fire engulfs their structures,” Mr Sablay said.