ON the evening of July 21 a fire broke out in the Booysens informal settlement which razed about 30 informal dwellings to the ground and left many families with nothing.
PR (Proportional Representative) Clr Sizwe Salaze alerted the emergency services of the city about this. The next day, Johannesburg City Emergency Services were on site to assist the community and provided humanitarian assistance.
Simultaneously, the other councillors in Joburg South requested assistance from the community on behalf of the families left destitute after the fires. I never cease to be amazed at how generous the Southerners are, literally within hours we had sufficient blankets, clothes and food for all the affected families. I pointed out Glenvista Baptist Church in particular who showed so much love and generosity with the number of goods they donated.
When they visited the informal settlement to hand out the clothes, blankets and food, the officials of emergency services said that there were now ample goods to provide to all affected families. In fact, families were now given extra clothes and blankets thanks to the kindness of the community who gave so openly and freely.
Although this was a terrible tragedy, the swift kindness and love of the community ensured that people affected were recompensed almost immediately with replacement clothes, food and bedding. This is what community is all about.
Manny de Freitas
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