Fire victims get help to rebuild their lives

Victims of a fire that destroyed more than 300 shacks in Joe Slovo, Langa, on Boxing Day have received help from the government to rebuild their lives.

National Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane and Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza visited Langa on Wednesday January 8 to deliver building materials and provide help to apply for documents lost in the fire. 

Minister Simelane said similar aid was being offered to victims of fires in Kayamandi, Dunoon, Masiphumelele and Gugulethu.

“This is a transitional measure, temporary. We got to move people from where they are. You can’t say that people cannot rebuild for now until you provide an alternative. If I say go build in the sky, it won’t be possible," she said.

Home Affairs mobile offices helped the fire victims apply for destroyed IDs and birth certificates.

Mr Nzuzo appealed to the community to do more to prevent fires.

“The community must also take charge of their situation because this is not sustainable that every time there is fire we must put in many resources. That could have gone somewhere else because of human-created fires. We understand there will be disasters, but we must also put in preventing measures to make sure that these disasters don’t become a yearly thing. We do not want to lose lives every year."

One of the fire victims, Nokwanaba Fuba, thanked the government departments for their help.

“They have saved most of us from spending money that we do not have. I would have spent a fortune to go to Cape Town for the ID and my children’s birth certificates. I am so grateful for what they have done,” she said. 

Ward councillor Thembelani Nyamakazi said: “Some people were away on holidays and could not be here to save their shacks, but the departments have come in handy to help us.”