Daily Sun: Homes Go Up in Smoke!

http://dailysun.mobi/news/read/2998/homes-go-up-in-smoke

IT never rains but it pours for the residents of Kennedy Road squatter settlement, near Sydenham in Durban.

A few days ago they were trying to sort out a disaster caused by heavy rain.

Then on Sunday, more than 100 shacks were burned to ashes. Fifty people were injured and 400 spent the night squashed in the municipal halls.

The cause of the fire is not known but it is suspected that faulty electrical connections were involved.

One of the shack dwellers, Mlungisi Khumalo (22), told Daily Sun that he was sleeping in his house at about 11 am when he heard people screaming outside.

“I woke up and quickly rushed out to see what was happening. Several shacks were already up in flames. The entire place was darkened by smoke but some of us managed to escape with our belongings and run for our safety. We are just grateful that no one died,” said Mlungisi.

He added that their biggest concern was that they had no shelter.

“This is all the Ethekwini municipality’s fault. If we had proper housing, people wouldn’t be illegally connecting electricity,” he said.

Abahlali baseMjondolo spokeswoman Bangeni Gumede said they were not pleased by the shocking incidents of fire and floods that repeatedly occur in Kennedy Road.

Ethekwini municipality spokesperson, Thabo Mofokeng, said: “Fortunately the municipality is already planning to provide proper houses for all the shack dwellers in Durban.”

By: THABISILE KHOMO