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| Gift of the Givers present at the scene of the fire which struck the Hout Bay area, on 26 December 2023. (Photo: Gift of the Givers |
Hundreds of people living in informal settlements in Cape Town have been displaced after fires destroyed their homes over the Christmas period. The City of Cape Town's Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, reported that the city had been notified of structures burning in Imizamo Yethu on Tuesday night, 26 December. Firefighting crews were dispatched to the scene, and firefighters extinguished the fire, which destroyed 10 formal dwellings and five informal structures, displacing more than 30 people.
The cause of the fire was unknown, and no injuries or fatalities had been reported. A string of fires began on the mountain slopes above Castle Rock near Simon’s Town on Tuesday, 19 December. The three most destructive fires were on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. In Seawinds, 135 structures were destroyed; in Jim Se Bos, 60 structures were destroyed; and in Wallacedene, 45 structures were destroyed by fire.
The city has announced that its NGO partners, Gift of the Givers and Islamic Relief SA, will provide mattresses, hot meals, blankets, baby care packs, clothing, and toiletry packs to those in need. Disaster Relief NGO Thula Thula Hout Bay has opened a donation page for essential relief parcels (food, toiletries, and baby care necessities) for those displaced by the fires.
Gift of the Givers has sent teams to Imizamo Yethu to deliver humanitarian assistance. The NGO has been inundated with calls from residents of Imizamo Yethu, who say the fire had spread rapidly after being fanned by strong winds and they had battled to save belongings. Since Christmas Eve, they had provided people with assistance after four fires and, in the past three weeks, they had assisted after 14 fires.
The City of Cape Town’s firefighters have been battling informal settlement fires in Hillview, Philippi, and Kraaifontein, where about 1,000 people have been displaced. On Tuesday morning, the SA Weather Service issued a Level 2 warning lasting until Thursday, 28 December, covering Table Bay to Cape Agulhas and going hand in hand with a high risk of wildfires. The city appeals to the public to be alert, advising people to avoid working with open flames or flammable substances where possible, not toss cigarette butts out of vehicle windows, and report fires immediately.
In the event of an emergency, contact the city’s Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline. To help fire victims, contact Gift of the Givers or donate to Thula Thula Hout Bay’s drive to fund essential items for Imizamo Yethu residents.
