One person has died and around 80 residents have been displaced after a fire ripped through parts of the Zululand Informal Settlement in Masiphumelele early on Monday morning.

City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said emergency services were alerted to the blaze in Masemola Street at around 06:00.

Several crews were dispatched to the scene.

Initial estimates indicate that the fire destroyed one formal structure and about 20 informal dwellings before it was contained. Crews remained on site throughout the morning to extinguish remaining hotspots.

The South African Police Service will investigate the cause of the fire.

Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers has since deployed teams to the area to assist affected families.

The organisation confirmed that a local church was among the structures destroyed and that its teams are working alongside emergency officials at the scene.

Gift of the Givers added that they are providing immediate humanitarian relief and will continue to support the community in the coming days.