Devastating scenes are unfolding in Dunoon after a fire ripped through Site 5 on Friday, leaving thousands of residents without homes or belongings.
The blaze broke out on Friday morning and was only brought under control late that night. Many residents returned from work to find their homes completely destroyed. A fully tally of affected residents has not yet been released as Disaster Risk Management officials are still collating numbers.
With schools reopening on Wednesday, the impact on families has been severe. Many children have lost their school uniforms, stationery and shoes. Gift of the Givers has appealed to the Department of Home Affairs to deploy a mobile unit to assist with the re-issuing of identity documents.
The humanitarian organisation has also set up a mobile kitchen truck to provide daily meals, while emergency shelter has been arranged for displaced families.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA is reporting that they are accepting many animals, some injured, as residents are no longer in a position to care for their pets.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis visited the area on Saturday morning alongside Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Carl Pophaim, as City teams continued relief efforts on the ground.
Frontline staff are providing immediate support, including safety assistance, debris clearing, coordinating interim relief with non-profit organisations, and registering affected residents for emergency aid.
Pophaim has called on the National Department of Human Settlements to urgently release reconstruction kits to those affected.
He added that as rebuilding begins, proper spacing between structures is critical to allow fire services access and prevent future fires from spreading as rapidly.
