Humanitarian relief activated as victims rebuild

Three people, including a five-year-old girl, have been confirmed dead in a devastating fire that engulfed Cemetery View informal settlement in Pretoria East on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, the Tshwane metro activated a humanitarian and relief plan for the 2 000 people affected.

Those who live at the informal settlement have already begun to rebuild their homes on the ruins from the fire.

“Tshwane emergency services department (ESD) responded to a raging fire that had engulfed 300 shacks and left three people dead in its wake – two adults and a child – at Cemetery View, next to the Pretoria East cemetery, behind the Woodlands Mall. ESD managed to extinguish the fire,” said metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba.

The plan included metro roads and transport organising six buses to transport victims to temporary accommodation in Mamelodi, 20km north of Cemetery View.

“The city is in negotiations with churches within Region 6 to accommodate other victims.”

Bokaba said that SAPS had cordoned off the area as part of an investigation.

“Tshwane community and social development and ESD are coordinating intergovernmental social relief efforts together with other structures such as Sassa, social department and human settlements to ensure that the victims’ plight receive the necessary consideration.”

He said home affairs would dispatch immigration officers once all victims had been accommodated and settled.

At the scene on Monday morning, residents had begun to construct new shacks from wood poles and plastic sheeting.

They told Rekord that they were working hard to rebuild after the fire as they had nowhere to sleep.

Freedom Nduna, a victim, was rebuilding a shack where the previous had stood, no part of it remained.

“We got help from the pastor who brought us food and clothing and some sponge to sleep on,” said Nduna. “We need blankets or something to eat at the moment while we rebuild.”

He told Rekord that he wasn’t aware of any other assistance as yet, but would welcome it.

Human settlements MMC Ofentse Madzebatela, while on the site on Sunday, said the city appealed to the national government for assistance.

“This is as much a city issue, but more than that it is a national issue. Hence we have called on the minister of human settlement to assist and get hold of counterpart, minister of home affairs,” said Madzebatela.

“The majority of the people here, 90 percent, are foreign nationals, and how do we then deal with that? National must respond to this need. We are hoping that it can assist us so that we can avoid such disasters in the future.”

Ward councillor Malcolm De Klerk added that it was concerning that residents had already begun to rebuild.

“What is concerning is that building is continuing despite the fact that it is an active crime scene.”

“We have called on SAPS and metro police to assist and further enhance the site in terms of potential body recovery, but also just ensuring there is a bit of rule and order.”

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