http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=283&fArticleId=3216056

Shack blaze leaves 250 homeless
April 23, 2006

By Xoliswa Zulu

About 250 people lost their homes and their belongings early yesterday when a fire ravaged an informal settlement in Sparks Road in Sydenham, Durban.

May Xulu and her family of eight were among those left homeless last night.

She said losing her home was the most devastating thing that had happened to her. Everything she owned went up in flames.

“We woke up in the early hours of the morning to find this fire sweeping through the settlement. Everything my family owned has gone up in flames. We have absolutely nothing.

“We are trying to rebuild everything, but I don’t think that we are going to get anywhere – everything is gone. I’m trying to rebuild my home with the burnt materials. I don’t know where my family and I are going to sleep. I have asked some of my neighbours to shelter the children for one night,” Xulu said.

S’bu Zikode, chairman of the settlement, believed the fire was started by a candle that fell over.

“The fire department came in one hour, but they didn’t
get the fire out until five hours later – that’s how strong it was,” he said.

“About 250 people are without homes and they are trying to rebuild them with the burnt materials, but it is proving difficult because there is a shortage of materials.”

Zikode said provisions were being made to ensure the
affected families received food, clothing and shelter.

“We’ve been here since 1am trying to ensure that families have food and shelter. The community has responded positively and has given us 260 blankets and we are making more appeals for help.

“The politicians were here during election time, but where are they now when the fire has burnt everything we own? If government was for the poor, we wouldn’t be living like this.”

Ward 25 councillor Yakoob Baig said provisions were being made for the families that had lost their homes.

He added he was going to appeal to the council to ensure that tents were part of the city’s disaster management plan.

“We have arranged some accommodation in a hall, food and building material, but it has been difficult for us to get tents for some of the families.

” I am going to appeal to council to incorporate tents into their disaster management policy to help in this sort of situation,” he said.