Fires ravage Imizamo Yethu and Masiphumelele settlements, leaving hundreds homeless

At least 160 informal structures were destroyed by separate fires in the Western Cape, leaving hundreds of people affected. The devastating fires occurred at the Imizamo Yethu and Masiphumelele informal settlements on Saturday and early Sunday morning. City Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Frank Forbay said no injuries were reported, though the cause of the fire remains unknown.

“At approximately 1:30am on Sunday, the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services were alerted to a blaze in Masiphumelele. A team of 31 firefighters, supported by five fire engines and three water tankers, was dispatched to the scene to combat the flames,” Forbay said. “The fire spread into the reeds next to the informal settlement, but by 05:30 the fire was contained.” City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management (DRM) spokesperson Sonia Lategan said they concluded the assessment in the WZ Section in Masiphumelele, although registration of affected persons is ongoing.

“The preliminary indications are that approximately 80 structures were damaged and about 203 people were affected. Services on site include DRM, Informal Settlements Management, the Electricity Department, and the SPCA,” Lategan said. “DRM will also request assistance from SASSA, Solid Waste, Home Affairs and the Department of Social Development.

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Electrical poles and boxes were damaged.” Humanitarian relief organisations, Living Hope and Gift of the Givers, provided hygiene packs and hot meals to the affected residents of the informal settlement. The fire at Masiphumelele followed a major fire in Imizamo Yethu on Saturday afternoon, where about 60 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze.

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