HELP DISPLACED DUNOON RESIDENTS RISE FROM DISASTER

'They do not know how their children are going to go to school'

- THEOLIN TEMBO

RESIDENTS are pleading for donations, food, clothes and water as they try to rebuild their lives after Friday's fire razed their possessions to the ground. GIFT OF THE GIVERS

THOUSANDS of Dunoon residents have no idea how they will recover from a devastating fire that left more than 5000 people homeless just days before their children are set to return to school on Wednesday.

Described as the largest informal settlement fire in the Western Cape since the 2013 Khayelitsha fire, with 'complete chaos as far as the eye can see, the fire destroyed more than 1 000 shacks, displacing about 5 500 people.

Resident Nomvuzo Mukumela, 47, said that the impact of the fire has been one of the worst that she has seen in her community.

"Many residents lost everything that they worked for, and it will be very difficult for them to start afresh, keeping in mind that we come from disadvantaged backgrounds and try by all means to get food on the table," Mukumela said.

"There are a lot of them that lost even the school uniforms that they bought, so it's a very sad situation."

Kantyi added that they have had Gift of the Givers (GoTG) on the scene trying their best to assist with food and water.