Toddler dies as fires rage

Weekend fires in the Eastern Cape have claimed the life of a toddler and left more than 200 people homeless. Two fires were reported – one in East London and one in Butterworth.

When the Dispatch team arrived more than 100 people had closed the main Duncan Village roads with burning barriers.

Police, who were monitoring the situation closely, warned them to stop closing public roads.

Residents expressed their disappointment with Yekiso-Morolong.

Khayalethu Mzoboshe, who lost his home, said on Saturday he had bought groceries worth R400 that were destroyed by the fire. “My clothes and food were destroyed with my house. I had a three-room shack with everything I need but now I am left with nothing but what I am wearing,” said Mzoboshe.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Yekiso-Morolong said her ward committee had cared for the fire victims. “My committee attended to them and they are expected to sleep at the community hall until disaster management makes plans for them.

“On the housing issue, there’s a lot that must happen before a person gets a house – you don’t just apply and get a house, so let us not talk about that issue for now,” said Yekiso- Morolong. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za