Fire victims get some help

FOOD parcels have been handed to victims of the Zandspruit shack fire, and the City has promised to help with temporary accommodation.Read More
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Food parcels have been handed to victims of the Zandspruit shack fire, and the City has promised to help with temporary accommodation.
VICTIMS of a shack fire at Zandspruit informal settlement received food aid from the City in an intervention to help them rebuild their lives.

MMC Dan Bovu visits fire victims at ZandpruitMMC Dan Bovu visits fire victims at ZandspruitThe fire, which was caused by a candle burning in one of the shacks while the owner was fast asleep, set alight 22 other shacks on the evening of Friday, 28 October.

The members of the mayoral committee responsible for housing, Dan Bovu, and for community development, Chris Vondo, handed over parcels to the affected families on Wednesday, 2 November.

Speaking at the site of the incident, Bovu told residents to remain calm as the City would arrange alternative accommodation. “We are aware of the situation here. We will make it our responsibility that we communicate with local councillors to organise for temporary housing accommodation in schools and churches.”

Bovu said the City would be taking a broader approach to prevent such incidents happening again. “The problem here is congestion; we have to speedily come up with a solution to open this place, and we have established partnerships with the provincial department of housing and private sector institutions to see to it that the people of Zandspruit lives improve for the better.”

Echoing Bovu’s sentiments, Vondo said: “Eradication of informal settlements was one of the subjects that [were] talked about during the City‘s Growth and Development strategy of 2040 … This incident here requires a multidisciplinary approach; it is not only a housing issue, and it talks to community development, health, safety and other departments as well.”

He called for public and private partnerships in mapping out the future of this township, “because really there are lots of elements involved in building the future of this place”.

A fire razed though Zandspruit leaving scores of residents homelessA fire razed though Zandspruit leaving scores of residents homelessMother and daughter Maria and Ester Masango, one the families affected by the fire, have been moving from one relative to another since the blaze. “We have been sleeping at our relatives’ homes, but their shacks are too small, so it is not possible for them to accommodate us for a long time,” they say.

But the concern for the Masango family is not only housing; they also have to reapply for identity documents (IDs) so that they can get their social grants. In response, Bovu promised to talk to local councillors and Home Affairs to arrange temporary IDs.

In spite of their concerns, the two were grateful for the food parcels. “These will help us a great deal,” they said. “We are unemployed and we cannot afford to buy food and material to rebuild our shacks all at once.”

Zandspruit, located in the northwest of Johannesburg, is characterised by various social ills, including unemployment, crime and dire poverty. Access to basic needs, including water, electricity and sanitation, is the stuff of residents’ dreams.

The lanes between shacks are so narrow that it is impossible for cars and taxis to drive. Only a few main roads leading into the settlement have been tarred.