Residents of Site 5 in the Du Noon informal settlement, near Milnerton, have begun rebuilding after 30 homes were razed by fire in the most recent of several shack fires since the start of last weekend.
Nobuhle Tyatyeka stood watching as men, using a starter kit of five zinc sheets, 10 poles, a roll of plastic and three bags of nails, put together a section of her replacement home.
"All I have (left) are the clothes I have on," the devastated woman said.
Tyatyeka's eight-year-old daughter, who is in Grade 2 at Sophakama Primary in Du Noon, could not go to school on Tuesday.
"She has no school clothes. Everything was damaged in the fire."
Tyatyeka, a domestic worker in Parklands, said her family had to take refuge in her husband's car when the shacks went up in flames on Monday night.
The fire broke out just after sunset, leaving almost 50 families homeless.
The Majija sisters, 33-year-old Christine and 27-year-old Nokuthula, who have three children between them, were also left homeless by the fire.
Both unemployed, they said they had no money to replace their home.
Nokuthula Majija said she had lost all her clothing.
Her sister said her identity document had gone up in flames, which would further hamper her efforts to find a job.
Asked what they would do, the sisters simply shook their heads in despair.
Although fires in Du Noon continue to disrupt people's lives in the informal settlement, Disaster Management has warned that the residents face an even more severe threat of flooding, once the winter rains really set in.
In a bid to help combat the threat, they have stepped up their winter campaign.
Disaster Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said the "risk-reduction campaign" was focused on 24 high-risk settlements in a bid to "reduce vulnerability".
"We go out and talk to people about the dangers and how they can protect themselves against flooding," she said.
Suggestions included checking roofs for leaks, keeping the water channels clear of rubbish, and calling the emergency services number as soon as any problems occurred.
Leaflets detailing information about helping to prevent fires and flooding were also being distributed.
Among the examples of safety measures was the one suggesting people keep a bucket of water or sand in their homes to immediately douse fires which may occur.
In the event of a fire, people should also not move all their furniture out into the streets because these needed to be kept clear for fire and rescue vehicles and staff.
In a recent media statement, the City of Cape Town said it had allocated R18,4-million for a cleaning service to help minimise stormwater blockages as part of its forward planning for the winter storms.
A total of 616 temporary staff would be employed to make it work.
- Cape Argus
Nobuhle Tyatyeka stood watching as men, using a starter kit of five zinc sheets, 10 poles, a roll of plastic and three bags of nails, put together a section of her replacement home.
"All I have (left) are the clothes I have on," the devastated woman said.
Tyatyeka's eight-year-old daughter, who is in Grade 2 at Sophakama Primary in Du Noon, could not go to school on Tuesday.
"She has no school clothes. Everything was damaged in the fire."
Tyatyeka, a domestic worker in Parklands, said her family had to take refuge in her husband's car when the shacks went up in flames on Monday night.
The fire broke out just after sunset, leaving almost 50 families homeless.
The Majija sisters, 33-year-old Christine and 27-year-old Nokuthula, who have three children between them, were also left homeless by the fire.
Both unemployed, they said they had no money to replace their home.
Nokuthula Majija said she had lost all her clothing.
Her sister said her identity document had gone up in flames, which would further hamper her efforts to find a job.
Asked what they would do, the sisters simply shook their heads in despair.
Although fires in Du Noon continue to disrupt people's lives in the informal settlement, Disaster Management has warned that the residents face an even more severe threat of flooding, once the winter rains really set in.
In a bid to help combat the threat, they have stepped up their winter campaign.
Disaster Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said the "risk-reduction campaign" was focused on 24 high-risk settlements in a bid to "reduce vulnerability".
"We go out and talk to people about the dangers and how they can protect themselves against flooding," she said.
Suggestions included checking roofs for leaks, keeping the water channels clear of rubbish, and calling the emergency services number as soon as any problems occurred.
Leaflets detailing information about helping to prevent fires and flooding were also being distributed.
Among the examples of safety measures was the one suggesting people keep a bucket of water or sand in their homes to immediately douse fires which may occur.
In the event of a fire, people should also not move all their furniture out into the streets because these needed to be kept clear for fire and rescue vehicles and staff.
In a recent media statement, the City of Cape Town said it had allocated R18,4-million for a cleaning service to help minimise stormwater blockages as part of its forward planning for the winter storms.
A total of 616 temporary staff would be employed to make it work.
In the event of a life- or property-threatening emergency,call 107 from a landline,
or
021 480 7700 from a cellphone.
To report flooding, blocked drains or service disruptions, call 0860 103 054.
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