Pretoria township devastated by fire

An aerial photo shows that most of Cemetery View informal settlement was destroyed in Saturday’s fire. Photos: Ihsaan Haffejee

One person has died and two others have been hospitalised with critical injuries after a fire destroyed large parts of Cemetery View informal settlement in Pretoria in the early hours of Saturday morning.

“The multiple-shack fire was reported to the City of Tshwane Emergency Call Centre at [4:07am]. Upon arrival firefighters reported that a large area in the informal settlement was on fire with multiple shacks alight. Firefighters started with firefighting procedures and initiated evacuation procedures,” said Lindsay Mnguni a spokesperson for the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department.

By the time the fire was brought under control over 800 homes were destroyed affecting about 2,600 residents.

An aerial view after the fire shows most of the settlement has been burnt to ashes.

On Sunday morning residents were trying to rebuild their homes using wood and whatever materials they could salvage.

A young child sits on a pile of wood branches which residents are using to rebuild their homes.

Elizabeth Chauke, who has been living in the settlement for over 12 years, said she was unsure how she would rebuild her home as she lacks the resources to purchase new materials.

“I just don’t have the money to rebuild my home. Maybe if we can get assistance from somewhere it will be possible. This is the second time … my home has been burnt in a fire,” said Chauke.

In September last year, a fire caused a similar amount of damage in the same settlement. Many residents lost their homes in both instances.

Over 800 homes were destroyed.

People have begun rebuilding their homes.

Residents wait patiently in line for assistance.

Hendrick Ngoako was working on the night shift as a security guard at a nearby company when he got a call from his wife saying the settlement was on fire. He rushed home only to find everything he possessed destroyed. Luckily, his wife had managed to escape with their eight-month child.

“We will have to try and rebuild. We have no option, this is our only home,” said
Ngoako.

He and his young family spent the night sleeping outside exposed to the elements on one of the coldest weekends of the year. “I’m hoping to get some sort of shelter up by tonight because its difficult especially for the young child.”

Disaster management teams as well as some aid organisations were on hand trying to assist residents with food and clothing.

Tshwane Emergency Services said that the cause of the fire had not been determined and that the area was still a crime scene.

A young child lies on a couch that was saved from the fire.

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