Delays in settlement upgrades blamed for recurring fires

While the cause of Friday 6 June's destructive informal settlement fire that flattened a reported 46 homes in Thembalethu is still unknown, Ward 12's Cllr Eric Mdaka blames the delay in regularising densely populated informal settlements for repeated large-scale fire incidents.

- Jacqueline Herbst

Recalling fires in 2022 and 2023 that each destroyed up to 30 informal structures, including his own home, Mdaka highlighted this was the third major fire since the commencement of his tenure as ward councillor.

Mdaka brought up the issue of land invasion by scores of people who have come to George in search of a better life, found vacant land and settled there.

As many as 70 informal dwellers were fortunate to suffer only material and emotional losses, as opposed to physical injury or death, when a fire that broke out at about 16:00 in Zone 8 of the township ravaged their homes and all their personal belongings. Mdaka attributed the zero injury and death toll to the fact that many people were still at work at that time. "When fires start at night while people are asleep, the outcome is often very different," he said.