Khayelitsha blaze forces families to sleep in cars as they seek shelter

They fled with nothing but the clothing on their backs. Destitute, homeless, desperate for shelter and forced to sleep inside their cars and market stalls as they waited for Disaster Risk Management teams to provide materials to assist in rebuilding their lives.

As the devastating fire swept through Tsepe Tsepe Informal Settlement in Khayelitsha on Sunday, 177 structures were destroyed and 377 people were affected. On Monday, hundreds began rebuilding their lives, several worried that their children would not have uniforms and stationery as schools are set to reopen next week.

For Bukiwe Mkunyna and three children, surviving the night without a roof over their heads and only the clothing on their backs, meant finding shelter inside a car.

“I have three children in my home and the fire burnt everything, we have nothing but the clothing on our backs,” said Mkunyna, who had attended an assessment meeting with community leaders to determine how many families and children were affected.

"We didn't have anywhere to sleep, so we had to sleep outside in a car. We didn't have anywhere else to go, some people slept at their friends or families homes."

Humanitarian aid organization, Gift of the Givers, have remained on site since the blaze began, providing meals and relief with the City of Cape Town approaching the National Human Settlements department to step in.

Community leader, Xoliswa Peters spent the vital hours on the ground, counting how many homes had been destroyed and how many had been displaced.

Peters said hours after the blaze, desperate victims found shelter by sleeping on the streets or inside their cars or at families and friend's homes, while waiting for Disaster Risk Management - which was on site on Monday to provide relief together with community and religious leaders. "We are busy with Disaster Risk Management to assist and assess how many people need help,” she said.

"Some slept on the road market stalls and some at neighbours homes.

“We are calculating how many children were affected together with social development.

“Many children need school uniforms, we are going to assess the needs. People are meeting to discuss what they need. We know that the school's are starting next week.”

Cape Argus also approached the City's DRM to ask whether they were aware that families sought shelter on the streets.

Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson, Charlotte Powell explained that relief was being provided: “The City’s Informal Settlements Management Branch was on site and has approached National Human Settlements to aid rebuilding efforts, although some residents have already started rebuilding their structures.

"Others are staying with friends and family in the immediate vicinity. “In the interim, efforts continue along with local community leadership and religious organizations to arrange emergency sheltering.

“SASSA and the Department of Social Development have arrived on site, and Gift of the Givers too continue to assist with immediate humanitarian relief needs.

"Eskom and the City’s Water and Sanitation Department have been activated to address infrastructure damage and restore electricity, water supply, and ablution facilities."

Gift of the Givers’ project manager, Ali Salbay said their teams would remain on site to provide humanitarian relief and even school clothing and stationery.

“Our teams are on site, we know it is close to 180 structures that burnt, hundreds have been displaced. Our teams will remain on site, we are providing breakfast, lunch and supper, extending humanitarian aid tomorrow in terms of blankets, mattresses and toiletries,” he added.

“A number of parents came to us. Next week is back to school. New school uniforms and stationery will be providing that as well.

“It has been a bleak start to the New Year for residents of the Phakamani Road Informal Settlement in Khayelitsha after a fire swept through the area, leaving widespread destruction and hundreds of people homeless.”

Gift of the Givers said the fire is the largest incident recorded over this period.

The festive season has been plagued with fatal and devastating fires. Last month in Du Noon, 45 people were left homeless including over 50 residents in Barcelona Informal Settlement in Gugulethu and 200 in Nomzamo in Strand and another 100 residents left homeless in Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay on Christmas night which saw 50 structures destroyed.

At the start of December, a heartbreaking scene gripped residents and firefighters when mother of three, Asavela Seti and her one-year-old twins and five-year-old son were unable to escape the fire inside their Langa home.

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Cape Argus