Mercury: Fire leaves thousands destitute

Ma Mjoli is Cllr Yakoob Baig’s person in Foreman Road, not the elected chairperson. But today she is speaking like an Umhlali….

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4611036

Blaze kills one, destroys homes
Fire leaves thousands destitute

September 15, 2008 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI

DESTITUTE householders picked at the burnt remains of their shacks yesterday after fire gutted more than 2 000 informal homes at the Foreman Road settlement in Clare Hills, Durban, at the weekend.

One man burnt to death in the Saturday morning inferno.

Neighbours said Thembelani Khweshube, 30, sustained severe burn injuries and died when his shack caught fire while he was asleep.

Funeka Nokhayingana said she had moved to live at the settlement in 2005 because it was closer to where she worked. She was tired of living in such squalid conditions.

“I wish that somebody could save us from this misery . . . I have lost everything in the fire – my identity document, my children’s birth certificates, uniforms and school books.

“It hurts me to raise my children in such conditions, but I don’t have a choice because I have nowhere else to go,” said Nokhayingana.

Foreman Road informal settlement chairman Patricia Mjoli said the fire was caused by an unattended candle and spread rapidly because of strong wind, leaving nearly 4 000 people homeless.

“The municipality needs to fast-track the process of building houses because our homes cannot just keep burning down like this.

“As long as we do not have proper houses and electricity, people will continue to use paraffin stoves and candles. There needs to be a permanent solution for the shack dwellers,” she said.

Nonhle Pepu, a member of the Foreman Road community development programme, said many people had lost all their belongings in the fire.

“The Red Cross has supplied us with food, eight tents have been put up for the displaced and our ward councillor has organised mattresses for us.

“We have also compiled a list of those affected by the fire so that we can take it to the home affairs department to get the documents lost in the fire replaced,” she said.

Mjoli said the settlement had just one tap, which was used by the more than 6 000 people who lived there.

“All we ask is for the municipality to at least provide us with the basic services, such as more taps and fire hydrants so that we are able to put out the flames quickly before they engulf more shacks.”