Midrand lends support to fire victims
MIDRAND - President Park Residents Association chairperson John Gainsford encouraged Kanana's community leaders to keep roadways open for emergency vehicles.
This advice comes after Gainsford learnt that City of Johannesburg Emergency Services had difficulty in accessing a fire in Sophiatown, Kanana township on 30 September. It touched home to President Park residents as Kanana is the closest township to the suburb.
The fire destroyed 10 informal houses and left 21 people homeless.
City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said the biggest challenge that confronted the services in informal townships was trying to manoeuvre the emergency vehicles through the small spaces between the informal dwellings.
Mulaudzi said, “The people get angry because it takes a long time for the emergency vehicles to respond to fires in the townships but if the shacks were spaced at least five to six metres apart, the emergency vehicles would be able to access the shacks in a faster response time.”
A concerned Gainsford joined public relations councillor for Kanana, Richard Newby, on his visit to the victims of the fire. Newby said the fire appeared to have started in one shack and spread to the rest. Mulaudzi said the cause of the fire was still unknown but said it was thought to have started due to a paraffin stove that had been left on.
Newby and Gainsford handed over Stop Hunger Now food parcels, to the victims which should help them for the next two weeks while they re-build their informal houses.
Mulaudzi said the Emergency Services also handed over blankets and food.
Newby claims the community had called on Ward 80 councillor Queen Sikwega to help but Sikwega said she had not been informed about the fire.
Newby said, “The people were very pleased with the food but of course they were still devastated by their losses. Still more help is needed and I would be grateful for any help from the Midrand community.”
Clothes and material to re-build the shacks were needed such as timber, gum poles, corrugated iron sheets, cement and nails.
Gainsford also called on the community to donate mattresses and said they could contact him.
Details: John Gainsford, john@gsd.co.za
