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Crews are still cleaning up the site Monday morning so fire victims can begin rebuilding.
Residents of Masiphumelele search the rubble after last week’s fire that destroyed around 1,000 homes. Image: Kevin Brandt / EWN.
CAPE TOWN – The City of Cape Town is waiting for the national government to make a budget available to supply starter kits to families affected by the Masiphumelele layoff.
Crews are still cleaning up the site Monday morning so fire victims can begin to rebuild.
Thousands of people lost everything when a massive fire ripped through part of a sprawling informal settlement, razing more than a thousand homes.
Listen below to find out how you can help those affected by the fire:
At the same time, Capetonians have come together to help those affected, donating tons of clothing, bedding and food.
Community organization Living Hope is coordinating the relief efforts and Pastor John Thomas said they needed volunteers to help them.
“We have hardly been able to keep up with the overwhelming number of donations that have come in and we are still sorting them out, so if there are any volunteers who can come to the Living Hope offices on Kommetjie Road they would be very helpful. “
# Let’s be successful fire pic.twitter.com/FlV0joXDdW
Politricks SA (@PolitricksSA) December 18, 2020
MINISTER SISULU WILL VISIT MASIPHUMELELE
At the same time, Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu is expected to visit Masiphumelele on Monday to meet with community leaders in an effort to find a lasting solution to the housing crisis in the area.
“A few days ago, Minister Sisulu directed her CEO Mbulelo Tshangana to work with the Western Cape provincial government to find immediate relief from people’s housing problems. He also called on all South Africans, including the private sector and NGOs, to assist members of the affected community with essential items such as food, clothing, blankets and protective equipment, ”Minister spokesman Steve Motale said in a communicated Monday morning.
Cape Town officials said they had to declare Masiphumelele a disaster area because national government budget cuts left the city without the cash needed to provide fire and flood equipment.
The city hoped to have the site cleared by Monday, but Mayor Dan Plato’s spokesman Lyndon Khan said this was proving a difficult undertaking as the area was in a wetland that was illegally occupied.
Khan expects the compensation process to be completed by the middle of next week.
“A multi-agency and department response has been underway on site to ensure prompt and accurate attention to the needs of residents,” he said.
Once the site has been cleared, the electrical infrastructure would be repaired, as well as the taps and toilets destroyed by the fire.
The city’s resident registration process is underway and included special assistance to the elderly, as well as people who lost their medications in the fire.
# Let’s be successful Some residents have already started rebuilding their structures. KB pic.twitter.com/dek3KwtvZJ
EWN reporter (@ EWN reporter) December 18, 2020
@alanwinde @WesternCapeGov @Our_DA @vwsfires @cptfrs Thousands homeless due to massive fire in # We will be successful, send help and resources. # Let’s be successful pic.twitter.com/y2Ui7Yi9SB
Teboho (@ azbeto747) December 17, 2020
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