Relief continues for Dunoon families after fire

Relief efforts are continuing for families affected by last week’s fire in Dunoon, as the City of Cape Town and its partners distribute essential items to residents who lost their homes.

On Tuesday, January 14, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis visited Dunoon Site 5 alongside City teams and non-profit organisations to hand out donations collected from residents across the city.

 He was joined by mayoral committee member for human settlements, Carl Pophaim.

A devastating fire tore through Site 5 in Dunoon on Friday morning, January 9, placing hundreds of residents at risk and prompting a large-scale emergency response as strong southeasterly winds continued to fuel the blaze (“Fire rages through Dunoon as strong winds hamper efforts,” Tabletalk, Friday, January 9).

City Fire and Rescue Services, supported by two helicopters conducting water-bombing operations, managed to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby homes. No fatalities were reported (“Devastating fire in Dunoon leaves thousands without homes,” Tabletalk, Monday, January 12).

According to the City, officials have registered 2 604 people affected by the blaze, with 632 structures damaged or destroyed. These verified details have been submitted to the national government to fast-track the release of emergency rebuilding materials and additional assistance through the South African Social Services Agency.

Mr Hill-Lewis acknowledged the work of non-profit partners, including Gift of the Givers, firefighters and City staff who worked long hours on the ground.

Since the incident, City teams have cleared debris and begun repairing basic services infrastructure. Departments involved include Informal Settlements Management, Urban Waste Management, Disaster Risk Management, and Fire and Rescue Services.

According to a statement, the City has also set aside R12 million for re-blocking work aimed at improving access routes between homes and reducing future fire risks. However, this process depends on community consent, which has been affected by frustrations over delays in national government upgrading programmes.

Mr Pophaim said the City is urging the National Department of Human Settlements to urgently release emergency building kits to affected residents. “The City is pushing to once again manage this process directly, noting that when Cape Town previously handled emergency assistance, support reached residents within days rather than weeks,” he said.

Residents in Dunoon continue to receive support as recovery efforts progress.

TLC Outreach Projects, based in Table View, donated second-hand clothing and delivered food parcels to residents in Dunoon affected by the fire on Monday, January 12.

TLC founder Colleen Pietersen encouraged residents to continue donating clothing and food, saying the contributions are helping families rebuild their lives after losing everything in the blaze.

You can call her at 083 658 4032 if you would like to drop off any donations.