Despite the fact that more than a dozen homes and a guest house were gutted by fire, the local community and surrounding areas came together to help the affected families.

A local church has opened its doors and turned its premises into an operation centre where donated food, clothes, toiletries and furniture are stored.

Tommie Marais, a resident at Starling Street, watched as his house turned into flames, but he told the Herald that despite all of this, he was touched by how people of all races came together to help him and his family.

He says that people helped him take out his files and books in his home office and no file was burnt, because of the love shown by people who he hardly knows.

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“I don’t even know where I can find them to say thank you, because everything happened so quickly and they were just there to help me in my time of need,” says Marais.

On Monday morning, MEC for COGSTHA, Basikopo Makamu, MDM mayor, Pule Shayi, and the mayor of Ba-Phalaborwa municipality, Merriam Malatji did an oversight assessment of the damage caused by the fire. After the assessment, Makamu referred to the situation as devastating.

“The government will do a thorough assessment of how best it can provide support to the affected families,” said Makamu.

“Some of the houses can be renovated and COGSTHA has a fund that can assist.”

He referred to shelter being a pressing issue, and that the Department of Tourism should help provide accommodation to the affected families at nearby lodges in the next two weeks.

In the meantime, local guesthouses and residents have opened their doors to the people who are left homeless.