A series of deadly fires across Cape Town has left communities in mourning after 10 people, including seven children, lost their lives in separate incidents over the weekend and on Monday, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The incidents, which unfolded in Khayelitsha, Fisantekraal and Lwandle, have once again highlighted the devastating impact that shack fires continue to have on vulnerable communities, particularly during the colder months when heating, candles and cooking fires increase the risk of blazes. Authorities are reportedly investigating the cause of each fire.
The latest fatal incident happened in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha, in the early hours of Monday, (3 August) where two adults and a two-year-old child died after a fire destroyed their home.
According to City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Michael Abrahams, firefighters from Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain and Mfuleni responded after receiving reports of a structure fire in Ntlazane Road.
He said crews extinguished the blaze, adding that ‘The cause of the fire is not yet known, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) will investigate.’
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed an inquest has been opened after the bodies of a 34-year-old man, a 29-year-old woman and the toddler were discovered in the wreckage.
Just days earlier, another tragedy reportedly unfolded in Lwandle near Strand, where three children aged nine, 12 and 13 died after an informal dwelling caught alight late on Saturday night. The shack was completely destroyed, leaving behind twisted sheets of corrugated iron, burnt household belongings and ash.
Residents described heartbreaking scenes as grieving relatives gathered at the site while children from the neighbourhood watched in tears. Many said the loss has left the close-knit community struggling to come to terms with what happened.
Police also confirmed that two children, aged four and 11, died in a separate fire in Fisantekraal during the early hours of Saturday. (1 August) Durbanville police have registered an inquest as investigators work to determine what sparked the blaze.
The Fisantekraal incident happened less than a day before the fatal Lwandle fire, making it one of the deadliest weekends for informal settlement fires in the Cape this year.
While no lives were lost, another fire broke out in Imizamo Yethu on Monday morning, destroying homes and forcing more than 11 people from their properties. The latest blaze came only days after a much larger fire swept through the Hout Bay informal settlement, leaving more than 400 residents homeless.
Ward councillor Rob Quintas said the City’s Disaster Risk Management teams are assisting affected families by restoring services where possible and helping residents access emergency relief.
He said officials will ‘register affected households for the SASSA fire relief grant as well as for other assistance via our partner non-governmental organisations (NGOs).’
As investigations continue, police are appealing for anyone with information related to the fires to come forward. The exact causes of the blazes have not yet been determined.
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