Overcome Heights residents dodge gunfire after blaze destroys homes
As gunfire continued to spread in Overcome Heights, community workers risked their lives to help fire victims following a devastating blaze, which left 150 people homeless.
A fire broke out on October 16 where an estimated number of 45 structures were destroyed.
Strong winds fanned flames over the Cape as firefighters attending to fires in Capri Village, Khayelitsha and Witsands.
In Khayelitsha, 300 people were displaced, and in Witsands where ten informal structures were damaged by fire, 32 residents lost their homes.
The City's Disaster Risk Management Spokesperson Charlotte Powell released a statement saying, “The Disaster Risk Management Centre has completed assessments of fires that occurred in Khayelitsha and Witsands [Thursday].
"In Witsands, 10 informal structures were damaged by fire, displacing 32 persons. Gift of the Givers is on site to provide soft relief.
"The fire in Pama Road, Khayelitsha, destroyed 52 wood and iron structures, with 303 persons affected. SASSA has been notified, to activate humanitarian assistance. In the interim, Gift of the Givers is providing soft relief.
"The assessment in Overcome Heights where a fire broke out late [Thursday] has been hampered by gang-related volatility in the area. Our officials are liaising with community leaders in the interim to start collating a list of affected persons so that relief measures can be activated.”
Overcome Heights community leader Karen Mentoor has been assisting the fire victims.
“They say the fire was caused by a gas stove. Thankfully no one was killed or injured," Mentoor said.
"The victims are forced to sleep in the open space where the fire was while others are sleeping by neighbours and family members and those who were employed, some of their bosses are helping them with a place to stay."
A resident who asked to remain anonymous added: "As community workers, we are working in danger because there was shooting all day on Saturday but we had no other choice than to continue working and duck and dive the whole time.
"It is difficult for us to work in these conditions and it is harder for the victims because they already lost everything and they also have small children.”
Gift of the Givers Ali Sablay said it was deployed full-scale humanitarian assistance to all three sites, providing urgent support to affected communities.
Karen is appealing for any donations towards assisting the victims to please contact 073 559 3015.