Multiple informal settlements razed

THE Gift of the Givers has stepped in to assist after a series of devastating fires displaced more than 100 people across multiple informal settlements in Cape Town on Monday.

- MANDILAKHE TSHWETE

Project co-ordinator, Ali Sablay, said the organisation responded to calls for urgent assistance from residents in KTC, Gugulethu, as well as in Eerste River and Belgravia.

"In just one night, we received three reports of separate incidents where numerous homes were destroyed," Sablay said.

In KTC, Section 6, Gugulethu, approximately 36 informal homes were gutted, leaving close to 100 people displaced.

According to ward councillor, Suzanne Zumana, "This is not the first fire to ravage the area. “Three months ago, another fire struck here.

“When I asked how the fire started, residents said they didn’t know - that’s always the case. There is electricity in the section, so often the assumption is it was an electrical fault,” Zumana said.