Fire destroys 25 shacks
2009-03-12
Sabelo Mpana
ABOUT 25 families were left homeless when fire engulfed their shacks in White City, Mbekweni, on Wednesday evening. Firefighters who were already fighting the fire on Paarl Mountain, were diverted to fight the blaze, but were too late to save the shacks. “Most of the people were already in bed after watching the Orlando Pirates & Sundown football club games. Most of my belongings were destroyed by the fire. Luckily I managed to save my ID book and some clothes,” said Thembela Sonjica (29). “I heard someone knock on my window calling fire! I went to help my friend save his belongings. “There is more damage than before, because the firemen were late,” said Zamile Dangala (51) who lives in White City in a brick house. Asked Lityalwa Tshinto with tears running down her face: “What am I going to do now? I have to start from scratch clothing myself and getting furniture. I could only save myself - by the time I woke up, the flames were already getting into my shack.” Said vendor Thozamile Mkhati (33), “I lost everything including my stock. I am self-employed, working the train between Mbekweni and Bellville. “I don’t know what I will do when the sun comes up. I have just bought new stock for my basket - now I do not have a cent to start all over again,” Nombulelo Dwangu (35) said, “When I woke up I could not find the key to the door. I saw the flames through my window and I had to move fast to get out of the shack with my week-old baby. I lost everything - now the baby does not even have food and I do not work. I do not know what to do,” People left homeless by the fire are being housed in the community hall temporarily. “The area is being cleaned - as we are talking people will be provided with starter packs,” said Lilian Kamte, informal settlement manager. Said fire chief Derick Damonse: “We are so thankful no-one was hurt. All our resources were at the fire in the mountain since that was the first fire, long before the shack fire. “Three trucks were sent to the scene of the shack fire as soon as we were informed.”
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