Several shacks were gutted and hundreds of Red Hill informal settlement dwellers had to evacuate their homes on Friday as a howling south-easter fanned the latest flare-up.
Firefighters are convinced the series of fires recently are the work of arsonists.
Friday, air force helicopters continued to dampen fires while rescue officials including Metro, Disaster Management and the fire services, were on high alert and said they would continue to monitor the area last night.
Kogalien Moodley, of Metro Rescue, said residents of the informal settlement would be temporarily housed in the nearby Scarborough community hall.
Residents of Simon's Town and Scarborough assisted officials in transporting the informal settlement dwellers.
Some people initially refused to leave their homes, even as rescue officials cautioned that their own safety could be at stake.
Moodley said a quarter of the shacks in the settlement were destroyed in the fire.
One of them belonged to Mavis Jacobs, who described her shock when she returned from her job as a char in Scarborough to find her home and all her possessions had been burnt. Clutching a plastic bag to her chest, a clearly traumatised Jacobs gazed over the fiery landscape. "I only have the clothes on my back left. It's all gone, I can't believe it."
René Dick, who lives with her three young children and her husband, said her house had not burnt down, but when they were evacuated they had taken their most vital household items and clothes. Her sister-in-law, Sophia Dick, said the frequent fires over the past few weeks were leading to intense frustration for the community.
"Can't the government see this is happening all the time? When will they give us proper houses?"
Frightened pets were running in the road, having been separated from their owners in the thick smoke and general pandemonium. But the SPCA was on the scene and Conchita Milburn, from the animal welfare organisation, encouraged residents who feared their pets were lost to contact the organisation.
Although reports of arson have been swirling since the start of the spate of the fires last month, Moodley said no cause could yet be confirmed.
Last weekend, Weekend Argus reported that Table Mountain National Parks was convinced an arsonist was the cause of the fire, and it had laid charges with the Simon's Town police station regarding last week's runaway fire in Scarborough and Ocean View.
Police spokesman Billy Jones said that although they were familiar with the arson accusations, no official statements had yet been made in this regard.
"People are making allegations and we have opened a criminal case. But we have no sworn statements from anyone at this stage," said Jones.
However, he added that the police stations in Ocean View, Simon's Town and Fish Hoek were interacting with the community in connection with the recurring fires.
A fortnight ago fires swept through Scarborough, destroying five houses as well as shacks on the edge of Ocean View. In the aftermath of the fires, the mountains between Simon's Town, Scarborough, Ocean View and Kommetjie are a bleak wasteland.
All the staff housing of the Cape Farmhouse restaurant and concert venue at the foot of Red Hill Road was destroyed, and at one stage the farmhouse was also threatened.
Plush is playing at the Farmhouse at 3pm today, and all the proceeds will go to help staff rebuild their homes.Tickets are R50. Gates open at 1pm. - Cape Argus
Firefighters are convinced the series of fires recently are the work of arsonists.
Friday, air force helicopters continued to dampen fires while rescue officials including Metro, Disaster Management and the fire services, were on high alert and said they would continue to monitor the area last night.
| 'I only have the clothes on my back left' |
Residents of Simon's Town and Scarborough assisted officials in transporting the informal settlement dwellers.
Some people initially refused to leave their homes, even as rescue officials cautioned that their own safety could be at stake.
Moodley said a quarter of the shacks in the settlement were destroyed in the fire.
One of them belonged to Mavis Jacobs, who described her shock when she returned from her job as a char in Scarborough to find her home and all her possessions had been burnt. Clutching a plastic bag to her chest, a clearly traumatised Jacobs gazed over the fiery landscape. "I only have the clothes on my back left. It's all gone, I can't believe it."
| 'Can't the government see this is happening all the time?' |
"Can't the government see this is happening all the time? When will they give us proper houses?"
Frightened pets were running in the road, having been separated from their owners in the thick smoke and general pandemonium. But the SPCA was on the scene and Conchita Milburn, from the animal welfare organisation, encouraged residents who feared their pets were lost to contact the organisation.
Although reports of arson have been swirling since the start of the spate of the fires last month, Moodley said no cause could yet be confirmed.
Last weekend, Weekend Argus reported that Table Mountain National Parks was convinced an arsonist was the cause of the fire, and it had laid charges with the Simon's Town police station regarding last week's runaway fire in Scarborough and Ocean View.
Police spokesman Billy Jones said that although they were familiar with the arson accusations, no official statements had yet been made in this regard.
"People are making allegations and we have opened a criminal case. But we have no sworn statements from anyone at this stage," said Jones.
However, he added that the police stations in Ocean View, Simon's Town and Fish Hoek were interacting with the community in connection with the recurring fires.
A fortnight ago fires swept through Scarborough, destroying five houses as well as shacks on the edge of Ocean View. In the aftermath of the fires, the mountains between Simon's Town, Scarborough, Ocean View and Kommetjie are a bleak wasteland.
Plush is playing at the Farmhouse at 3pm today, and all the proceeds will go to help staff rebuild their homes.Tickets are R50. Gates open at 1pm. - Cape Argus
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