Page Content
The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Housing in the City of Johannesburg, Councillor Mlungisi Mabaso, has assessed the extent of the damage caused by a fire at Organic Market Informal Settlement, in the north of Johannesburg, which displaced 13 people.
Cllr Mabaso headed to the area along with department officials to engage with the families and to offer support in a form of rebuilding the damaged shacks through supplying building material.
The Red Ants were immediately commissioned to clear the area while a contractor was appointed to promptly start building so that the 13 people will have a roof over their heads.
MMC for Community Development Cllr Margaret Arnolds, who is the oversight MMC for Region E, also joined MMC Mabaso in distributing food parcels and meals to the families that were affected by the fire blaze.
“While this has caused a setback for families, we are relieved that that there was no loss of life as the fire department was able to contain the blaze from damaging more structures in the informal settlement,” said MMC Mabaso.
“As the department, we have taken a resolution to assist the 13 families with building material and food parcels after their structures were engulfed in flames yesterday. With the lockdown in full swing, we understand that some hardware stores are currently closed, making it virtually impossible for rebuilding materials to be purchased by community members.
“We have since appointed a contractor that is currently rebuilding the structures that will also allow for easy access for emergency services vehicles for any possible future occurrence of a fire blaze,” MMC Mabaso added.
He has called on communities of informal settlements to pay special attention to their use of candles, which in most cases are the main cause of fires which result in leaving many families homeless
