- A fire at Taiwan informal settlement in Site C on 15 February destroyed 18 shacks, leaving over 48 people homeless, just weeks after a similar fire affected more than 200 residents.
- Victims, including shebeen owner Riaan Nomela, blamed the fire department’s lack of water for worsening the situation, as strong winds quickly spread the flames.
- Officials, along with relief organizations like Gift of the Givers and Sassa, have provided food and aid, but many victims are still struggling to rebuild due to a lack of materials.
At least 18 shacks were destroyed and over 48 people were left destitute when another shack fire broke out at DT section in Taiwan informal settlement, Site C on Saturday 15 February.
The fire came weeks after the neighbourhod encountered a similar inferno three weeks ago, where over 120 shacks were affected and over 200 people left homeless. (”Yet another big Site C fire”, City Vision, 6 February).
According to the victims, the incident started at about 23:00 and the cause remains a mystery.
One of the victims and a shebeen owner Riaan Nomela said he lost everything in the fire.
He blamed the delay of the fire fighters for their losses. “I was already sleeping when the incident occurred. I was woken up by the noise outside. When I went to check the flames were still a bit far from mine.
“I locked my shack and went to assist other people to take out their belongings. The fire fighters arrived in time, but they did not enough water,” claimed Nomela, adding that unexpectedly there was a strong wind which spread the flames so quickly to other shacks.
He stated that if there was enough water only a few shacks would have been affected.
Ward 87 councillor Khayalethu Kama described the incident as terrible. He said officials from the City, Gift of the Givers and Sassa have already visited the scene. He stressed that there are few shack fire victims who have already rebuilt their shacks.
“The majority of the shack fire victims are still struggling to rebuild their shacks because they don’t have the building material. Some of them are staying with their friends and relatives.
“The Gift of the Givers had provided the food already and it is expected to come again this afternoon (Monday 17 February) with more food and toiletries for shack fire victims,” explained Kama.
When City Vision visited the scene on Monday 17 February most of the sites were already cleaned and the shack fire victims were sitting in the sun waiting for any kind of help that could come.
The City’s Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said an emergency call was received at approximately 23:30 of structures alight off Mew May in Taiwan Informal Settlement, on Saturday 15 February.
“On scene, we had four fire engines and two water tankers with 26 staff on scene. The fire was extinguished at 01:50 where an estimated 18 structures were destroyed which left over 40 persons displaced,” said Carelse, adding that no injuries or fatalities were reported and the cause is still unclear.