More than 17 Duncan Village residents lost their homes, children’s schoolbooks and clothes after fire destroyed 17 shacks in C-Section on Tuesday afternoon.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Residents who spoke to the Daily Dispatch said they were in desperate need of food, clothing and building materials.
When the Dispatch arrived at the scene yesterday a mop-up operation was underway, with those who could afford to rebuild already rebuilding their shacks.
Resident Unathi Cingo, 34, said the fire began in one of the shacks shortly after 4pm and spread to 16 other shacks in no time.
She said their structures and everything they owned was lost.
Cingo said there were several tense moments when residents could not get water in time owing to a shortage of taps.
“We only have one tap at our disposal; the second tap is more than 200m away – it was a real struggle putting out the fire,” said Cingo.
Cingo said the families could do with donations of clothes, food and building materials.
“The schools are opening next week, the children do not have school uniform and stationery, they all burned in the fire,” she said.
Another resident Philiswa Thunzana who shares her shack with 11 other people, said she stood by helplessly on Tuesday night as smoke and fire tore through her wooden structure.
She said fortunately everyone got out in time and there were no injuries reported.
The families said they had been on the waiting list for state sponsored house for the past 17 years.
“We have lost all hope because we have registered and re-registered for a house since 1999 and we are still squeezed here in these shacks,” Thunzana said.
She said the families spent Tuesday night out in the cold and a few had been taken in by other shack-dwellers.
“When we woke up today (yesterday) there was no one from government who came to offer us help not even a piece of bread,” said Thunzana. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
DV fire robs residents of everything
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Residents who spoke to the Daily Dispatch said they were in desperate need of food, clothing and building materials.
When the Dispatch arrived at the scene yesterday a mop-up operation was underway, with those who could afford to rebuild already rebuilding their shacks.
Resident Unathi Cingo, 34, said the fire began in one of the shacks shortly after 4pm and spread to 16 other shacks in no time.
She said their structures and everything they owned was lost.
Cingo said there were several tense moments when residents could not get water in time owing to a shortage of taps.
“We only have one tap at our disposal; the second tap is more than 200m away – it was a real struggle putting out the fire,” said Cingo.
Cingo said the families could do with donations of clothes, food and building materials.
“The schools are opening next week, the children do not have school uniform and stationery, they all burned in the fire,” she said.
Another resident Philiswa Thunzana who shares her shack with 11 other people, said she stood by helplessly on Tuesday night as smoke and fire tore through her wooden structure.
She said fortunately everyone got out in time and there were no injuries reported.
The families said they had been on the waiting list for state sponsored house for the past 17 years.
“We have lost all hope because we have registered and re-registered for a house since 1999 and we are still squeezed here in these shacks,” Thunzana said.
She said the families spent Tuesday night out in the cold and a few had been taken in by other shack-dwellers.
“When we woke up today (yesterday) there was no one from government who came to offer us help not even a piece of bread,” said Thunzana. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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