Kya Sands rises from the ashes
KYA SANDS - Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Kya Sands residents are rebuilding their lives with the help from surrounding communities after a devastating fire tore through the informal settlement.
The fire, which happened on 9 October, burnt down more than 1 000 shacks, displacing roughly 3 000 people including babies and young children.
In the days following the fire, the surrounding community stepped up to the plate and collected food and clothing for the victims. Working from the Judah Africa Church, on the outskirts of the informal settlement, volunteers worked steadily to sort through clothing, toys and miscellaneous items.
When the time came for distribution, eager Kya Sands residents queued up to receive donations. The Douglasdale police enforced crowd control methods and instituted a system of verification to ensure that all victims received an equal amount of clothes and food.
Kya Sands fire victim, Moses Sithole, said on 9 October he was arriving home from work when he saw the billowing clouds of smoke emanating from the settlement.
“We are re-building, but at the moment all I have is half a bed,” he said. Douglasdale Community Policing Forum chairperson, Jean Berdou, said the fire in Kya Sands has been declared the biggest shack fire in South African history.
He mentioned investigations had revealed the cause of the fire may have either been a knocked over primus stove or an illegal electricity connection.
There is also a possibility that it may have been a combination of the two. Berdou said on the day, the fire was fueled by a hot Berg wind which spread the fire throughout most of the entire settlement. Berdou said he was humbled by the incredible response from the community to their fellow community members during their time of need.
“It is clear this community cares for all their members,” he said. Volunteers are still looking for donations of toothpaste, tooth brushes and soap for the fire victims.
All donations can be dropped off at the Douglasdale Police Station or the Douglasdale Pick n Pay.
Read our previous stories here:
Kya Sands fire could have been avoided
Community unites to support fire victims
Residents left homeless and displaced
Smoke from burning shacks seen in Fourways
