News24 | Hundreds homeless after fire rips through Khayelitsha settlement

Hundreds of Tsepe Tsepe informal settlement residents have been displaced after a fire tore through the area, destroying about 180 informal structures and displacing at least 552 people.

It’s been a devastating start to the new year for residents of Tsepe Tsepe informal settlement in Khayelitsha after a fire tore through the area, destroying about 180 informal structures and displacing at least 552 people.

On Sunday, the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management (DRM) spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, said officials would continue with their assessment on Monday morning to determine the full extent of the damage.

“Gift of Givers is currently providing humanitarian relief. DRM has also reached out to other NGO partners and Sassa (SA Social Security Agency) for additional assistance. DRM officials are collaborating with local community leadership and religious organisations to arrange emergency sheltering,” she said.

Powell added that informal settlement management and the national human settlements department had been roped in to coordinate efforts to help affected residents rebuild their homes.

Gift of the Givers Foundation coordinator Ali Sablay said teams were dispatched after requests for assistance from councillors and community leaders.

“It has been a bleak start to the New Year for residents of the Phakamani Road informal settlement in Khayelitsha after a fire swept through the area, leaving widespread destruction and hundreds of people homeless. The fire is the largest incident recorded during this period, with nearly 200 informal structures destroyed,” he said.

Sablay added that the foundation would continue distributing essential relief items over the coming days.

“The exact number of people affected is still being assessed at this early stage. Disaster management teams and the community are in the process of registering those affected,” he added.