This is according to Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Benedicta van Minnen, who told IOL that more than 800 kits have been handed out already this summer.
Van Minnen says Cape Town’s informal settlements are at particularly high risk, as they are traditionally built from highly flammable materials and have a high density. This was most evident in the recent blaze that struck the Masiphumelele settlement near Kommetjie, which razed 800 homes; claiming two lives and leaving 4,000 people homeless.
The emergency household rebuild kits consist of wooden poles, corrugated steel roof sheets, nails, a door, window and a padlock. Van Minnen says Cape Town is the only metro in the country that assists residents in this way.
Earlier this month, Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille launched the Misa Umlilo Stop the Fire campaign, which promotes the painting of shacks with fire-retardant paint. With the heat of summer now upon us however, I fear we’re only going to see pictures like these more frequently:
Read the full story on the City’s response to the Cape Town fires on IOL.
Photography by Kyle Mijlof (1) and Justin Sullivan (2,3,4,5)
